A Tale of Many Authors
by Writers' Pulse
Summary: A S1 ML adventure told Round Robin style.  Brought to you by Lisa0316, TigrouAngel, Mari83, BlueAngel137, SimR, Shywr1ter, and Griever.
1. Chapter 1

Don't know what's going to happen in this story? Well, neither did we.

This story was written Round Robin style at the Dark Angle Reflections Message Board. Seven authors wrote whatever their muse dictated whenever they felt the inspiration. We had no plan, no outline, no treatment, no editing or betas, few rules, very little structure, and a lot of fun putting it all together. We hope you enjoy it.

The Tale of Many Authors' Authors

Lisa0316, TigrouAngel, Mari83, BlueAngel137, Sim-R, Shywr1ter, Griever

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**A Dark Angel Tale of Many Authors**

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**Lisa**

It was the middle of the afternoon, but it felt much later. The storm that raged outside blocked out the light and cast the room in deep shadow, making it seem like the sun had given up early that day. The rain pelted the glass with a monotonous ferocity. Logan sat at his window, watching individual raindrops exploding with the force of impact and then forming rivulets, running down the pane and pooling on the ledge. His mood was as dark as the sky outside, and the violence of the weather was a fitting companion to his uneasy thoughts. He had an important decision to make, and it appeared that no matter which course of action he decided on, somebody was going to get hurt.

A sudden sound from his doorway pulled him from his reflections, and he turned his eyes away from the window.

**Tigrou**

"Why are you sitting in the dark, man," Bling asked.

Logan didn't bother to answer, and turned back to his observation of myriads of rain drops exploding against the glass. He wished he had a shield like that, to be protected against the darker side of life, or love, or loss - or maybe just bullets. No longer. Not since she...

"Saw it on the news today, man." Bling said. "I'm sorry, Logan."

**Mari**

Slowly Logan turned his head in Bling's direction, giving his friend the faintest, wistful smile. Deep down under today's dark gloomy brooding he could appreciate the soothing knowledge of having a friend who not only had seen him through one of the worst times of his life but also knew his secret identity and could relate to all the burdens and responsibility it brought.

**Shywriter**

﻿"Sorry?" Logan shrugged for his friend. "Now why would you be sorry, Bling?"

The therapist frowned slightly at his employer-patient, knowing how this must truly be affecting  
him. "C'mon, Logan – this will change a lot of things. You can't tell me it won't..."

Cale looked away from the steady, dark eyes assessing him to look back out the window. "One door  
closes, another opens, isn't that what they say?" He drew a deep breath to sigh it back out, almost  
steadily. "Maybe it's all for the best."

It was silent for long moments, neither speaking, as the rain pelting against the window seemed to  
grow even louder, echoing across the darkened rooms.

**Tigrou**

Maybe it was all for the best. Manticore was gone, she had found her siblings, and now she was free; free to go everywhere and be whatever she wanted to be. If he had to pay with a broken heart for that, it sure was worth it.

"It will be the right thing to let her go," Logan said and he could feel his aching heart echo in his voice. "And I always do the right thing, right?"

He had almost expected Bling's disapproving snort.

**Mari**

Bling opened his mouth, fully intending to make Logan wake up from his self-centred brooding now that Max needed him more than ever, but was interrupted as again there were noises coming from the door.

With his friend already here, Logan's first thought was Max, and at the idea that even now, in this situation, she just came over to see him a tiny smile crept on his face, merging into a badly suppressed grin at the idea of how she was always able to lighten his mood.

However, as the noises from the hallway continued to indicate stumbling, uncontrolled steps that were totally untypical of Max's usual light-footed approach, Logan found himself catapulted back into the tense anticipation accompanying his day, his heart racing at an uncontrollable pace while his overactive brain went through a dozen what-if scenarios, one worse than the other.

He could see Bling tense into body-guard mood, taking a ready-to-fight stance as he indicated for him to stay behind – an order which Logan readily ignored. Tentatively wheeling himself closer to the corner that separated him from free sight of his entrance, Logan cursed himself for not shutting down his computers, leaving his investigations open to see for everybody.

Seeing how Bling's tension eased up for a moment as he reached the entrance area and pronounced a startled "Max?", relief and relaxation added a another piece to the wild medley of emotions which Logan's day had brought. It was short-lived. Rolling around the wall divider himself, he realized that something was wrong with the picture presenting itself to his eyes.

Max wasn't only wet to the bone , which alone wouldn't be surprising considering the weather, but covered with mud and shivering in uncontrollable fits of which Logan couldn't tell whether they were the beginning of a seizure or just the cold and a shock. There was a bloody scrape on her face, matching a band of equally bloodied, dirty holes in her clothing and the fact that she was dragging behind her leg on that side.

As she looked at him with a mix of confusion and helplessness, a dominating wish to just hug her surged up in Logan, banishing the brooding of the afternoon into some far back-corner of his mind. For some seconds they just watched each other, until finally Logan swallowed, fighting down the panic and fear welling up in him beyond any reason, to ask, his voice hoarse, "What happened?"

**Shywriter**

﻿"Where were you, Logan?" Max begged, uncharacteristic moisture welling in her eyes, spelling both her relief to see him safe and dry, and her confusion that she'd found him here, apparently surprised to see her in this condition. "When I got your message..."

Another shudder suddenly took her over and, also uncharacteristically, her knees buckled and she started to slump. "Max!" Logan reached out toward her, watching as Bling moved quickly to bring an arm around her before she fell.

"I was so afraid that they..." Her words were slurred; Logan couldn't tell if she was coherent, or if whatever this was had her hallucinating, too.

Bling spoke, low and focused. "Max, I'm taking you to Logan's training room so I can take a look..." Clearly he was assessing her, seeing if she responded, judging if she was lucid. "Max?"

Logan's heart froze when he saw Bling's brow draw down in concern, and he easily lifted the X-5 into his strong arms and carried her back down the hall.

**Mari**

Halfway down the hall Bling carefully turned to quietly ask "Could you get me the first aid kit?" Seeing that Logan didn't react but just stared up to Max, fearfully taking in her terribly pale face, her closed eyes and her head resting limply against Bling's shoulder, the therapist's tone suddenly became sharp in order to snap Logan out of his shocked state. "Logan, get me the first aid kit!"

**Griever**

Logan blinked, once then twice, as though he was waking up from a deep slumber. Immediately registering Bling's urgent tone, he turned around and went for the first aid kit. He hurried back quickly, noticing the drops of blood leading into the training room.

He felt like throwing up.

Bling was lying Max down gently onto the workout bench, placing several towels under her so that her blood would not stain it. There wasn't a doubt anymore that Max was suffering from a full blown seizure, she was shaking violently, trashing about and mumbling incoherently. Logan placed the kit beside Bling and rushed back out to his get his supply of Tryptophan, grabbing a few more towels on the way. He had never seen her hurt that badly before and it scared him.

By the time he got back, Bling had managed to take off Max's muddy shirt and was carefully cleaning her wounds with a wet cloth.

**Tigrou**

As Logan looked at her shaking, bloody face the mere thought of losing her, of not having her in his life to slaughter him at chess or rob his fridge, of not being able to watch her smile, or laugh or bring him to the edge of reason and especially that just a few minutes ago he had been willing to push her away from him, was almost more than he could bear.

"Don't leave me, Max." he said and placed a trembling hand on her shaking forehead. "Please, don't leave me."

**Shywriter**

﻿"I don't think she's that bad, Logan, but it would be easier for me to see if I had a bit of room..."

Bling tried to make it light, but Logan could tell he was worried. Hating to lose contact with her, Logan nonetheless backed up a little and asked, "Bling, what's going on with her?"

"Not sure yet, but it looks ..." Bling peered closer, his task not made any easier by Max's twitching limbs. "I think they may be gunshot wounds, at least one is, but there's something else..." His eyes narrowed, and his expression lightened a little. "These may have been one shot, in and out. Better." He let his fingers probe the area for embedded projectiles. "But the seizures throw everything off, and I can't tell how much blood she's lost..." Bling straightened and directed, "Look, go get the phone and bring it back here." Logan was off immediately, and Bling called behind him, "I want you to call Sebastian for me, but from here. I want you on this side of her, because of the seizures– I don't want her falling off and I can't do much for her if I have to hold her on the table, too."

"Why Sebastian?" Logan returned, immediately punching in the number.

"I want his thoughts about a transfusion for Max – and if he has x-ray facilities available, if we can't sort out this injury. Otherwise, we may need a hospital..."

"Bling... for Max? It's a risk..."

"So is not treating what's wrong, if we can't determine what this is." Bling grimaced, "If we can find what made the wounds, and if Sebastian thinks I can transfuse her..."

"Could I?"

"Maybe; your blood type normally would be incompatible, but with her blood..." The big man quieted as he saw Logan react to a voice on the phone.

"Sebastian –"

**Lisa**

Before Logan could say anything else, he felt Max's weak but desperate grip on his arm. Her eyes, large with fear and pain, were trying to focus on staring into his. "No, Logan, wait…"she rasped, trying to get his attention.

"Shhh, Max, don't worry," Logan reassured her in a soothing voice, stroking the hair from her face. "It'll be OK. I'm talking with Sebastian; we'll take care of you."

"No!" Max said with more force as she continued to shake violently. She grabbed at Logan's shoulder, trying to pull his face closer to her own so he would listen to her instead of the voice coming through the telephone. "You have to go, now. They're coming; you're not safe. Logan, you have to get out before…" She was unable to finish her sentence as unconsciousness claimed her once again.

**Mari**

Bling took the phone from Logan's hands. "Let me talk with him. You calm her."

While Logan listened to the trainer's calmingly steady voice giving a short summary of the situation, he gently stroked Max's face, which felt unnaturally hot with a burning fever leaving no doubt of how much she needed proper medical care. She was unconscious now after her outburst which seemed to have taken her last energy.

Flipping the phone shut, Bling ordered, "He says to come over. Shut down your investigations and grab what you need, I'll bring her down to the car".

As he watched Bling picking up Max without as much as a lost second, Logan hesitated, unwilling to bring another friend into this, especially one who was less able than others to just escape and evade, and especially since whomever was chasing Max knew how to find him too… but, as he realized with a new , sickening surge of fear, he had no other choice, not with Max injured…

**Sim**

Logan tore out of the parking structure at Fogle towers, tires throwing up a sheet of water as he accelerated towards Sebastian's. Bling sat with Max in the back seat, pillowing her head on his lap. Her seizures had quietened now, and she lay unnaturally still and silent. 

"Hey, slow down," the bodyguard urged. "We don't want to attract attention if there's someone after her." 

"She needs medical attention now, Bling; we know that for sure. I'm not risking her life on the possibility that there's someone on our tail." 

"What about Sebastian's life? Yours and mine too? And you won't be helping anyone if we have an accident; you can hardly see in this weather." 

"I can see fine," replied Logan, irritated; but he slowed a little just the same. 

They made it to Sebastian's without incident. Two of his med techs were waiting outside in the downpour with a gurney to wheel Max inside. Bling spouted off all the medical information he had while Logan hurried to rebuild his chair and transfer. 

"You OK?" The therapist called to his patient. 

"Fine; go with Max, I'll be right there." 

Bling followed the gurney inside. The door had barely closed when Logan's hand slipped on the wet grab bar and he fell heavily to the ground, knocking over the chair as his glasses went flying. 

"Dammit!" he exclaimed, punching the puddle he was lying in, frustrated beyond belief that he couldn't be by Max's side. He searched blindly around him for the glasses, finding them under the car. As he found them, he looked up; and his slightly myopic gaze was caught by a blinking red light attached to the underside of the Aztec. Logan dried the lenses as best he could on his shirt and then took a better look. There was no doubt about it. 

There was a tracking device attached to the underside of his car. 


	2. Chapter 2

Shywriter

﻿How long had they been there – two minutes? Three? Enough that those following him might think they were merely stopped for traffic, or, Logan wondered with a sickening lurch of his stomach, long enough to find this location significant?

Praying that the tracking device would provide _whomever_ it was with the false sense of security that they needn't come too close, Logan did the only thing he could think of at the moment to pull attention away from those inside Sebastian's compound: he pulled himself back into his car and, without chair, without cell phone... without Max... he sped off to lead his trackers as far from Sebastian's place as his gas tank would allow...

**Mari**

Wondering why it took Logan so long to come inside, Bling went outside to check, expecting to see him on the phone, as always planning and organizing.

The first thing he noticed was that the Aztec was gone. The second was the chair, lying upturned on the ground, destroying his hope that maybe Logan was just searching for an unsuspicious place to park and indicating that he had been taken forcefully.

Bling, the guy who prided himself of staying calm in every situation, who felt prepared for handling whatever crisis came up, just stared at the empty wheelchair, wondering how in the world whomever had taken Logan could have stayed unnoticed by the more than thorough checking of their surroundings he had done before they had left the car.

Stepping forward into the rain for the futile action of taking the wheelchair inside, Bling couldn't remember when he'd last felt that helpless. Logan had just disappeard, leaving him no clue at all, and Max was in there, in an examination room surrounded by a bunch of specialists that had no experience at all with the functioning of a transgenic body.

**Tigrou**

Logan couldn't remember when he had last felt that helpless. The storm had now reached Seattle with its full might and old newspapers were whirling through the air like Hitchcock's birds. His hands, cramped around the stirring wheel of the Aztek, were cold and muddy and he had absolutely no idea what he would do when he had to stop the car. 

Out of the city was the best, maybe north; let them - whoever they might be - think he would go to Canada. Maybe he should go to Canada. Maybe he should just stop and wait for them to get him, maybe he should... 

When he came to the sector gates, he found that its guards had deserted it, seeking shelter from the rain and howling wind in friendlier places, and that the barricade was still closed. He was wondering if Bessie could just crash through, when someone tapped at the window. 

Trapped in growing panic, he hadn't noticed the black motorbike next to his car or had had time to wonder how its driver managed to navigate through the thundering storm with transgenic ease. 

"Looking for someone?" he heard a familiar voice.

**Lisa**

Logan stared the dark figure with apprehension and mistrust. His expression didn't change significantly after Zack removed his helmet to identify himself. "What are you doing here?" Logan demanded.

"Saving your ass," Zack answered, sparing only a fraction of a second to give Logan an unpleasant look that conveyed his displeasure about doing so. "There's a tracking device on your car."

"How did you know that? Who planted it?" Logan demanded, hoping to elicit some of Zack's secrets before telling any of his own. 

"Where's Max?" Zack demanded, ignoring Logan's questions. "We got separated when she said she was going to warn you, and she hasn't checked in for over an hour."

**Mari**

She was back, back at Manticore with the people for whom she was only an experiment, merely disposable material in their quest for the perfect soldier. They were sticking needles and tubes into their transgenic lab rat, filling her body with all kinds of substances that made her hurt all over, so much that almost she would have screamed.

As Max strained to escape the many hands pressing her down to the table, fought against the drug-induced sleep that threatened to pull her down into an endless parade of nightmares Max felt an odd thankfulness that at least she had shared a bit of a real, normal life... and sad regret that it hadn't lasted longer…

**Shywriter**

﻿It took only a very few moments of rain pummeling his face before Bling stepped back into the facility, striding forcefully back to where Sebastian's med techs had started assessing Max's wounds. He too had been trained to assess and to act, but at this point he didn't have enough information to take any sort of intelligent action. His first duty–and loyalty–was to Logan, who would do all he could to skin him alive if he left Max, just to chase after him.

_First action_, he thought: given the fact that Max was in friendly hands who could do at least as much for her, and probably more, than he could himself, Bling could confirm with Sebastian that she had shelter and treatment here, even under the circumstances. Sebastian had some of his own tales to tell, and Bling was certain that the man wouldn't be fazed by the threat of 'prowlers.' As long as Sebastian knew the score and was alright with taking care of Max, Bling was free to do what he could to find Logan – whatever the hell that might be... 

As he turned the corner into the treatment room, Bling was met with the sight of a nearly unconscious Max fighting off five techs, three of them with training not unlike his own. Even unconscious, depleted from seizures, blood loss and whatever in her the fever was trying to fight, Max was managing to hold off their ministrations, the dose of sedative they'd managed to get into her not yet slowing much of her struggle.

"Max," he called to her immediately, pushing through to her side and leaning close, "Max, c'mon, settle down, it's alright. It's Bling; we have you here with Sebastian; his people are going to help..." He wasn't sure if she heard, because she held them off still, but her struggles slowed a bit and her brows drew into a frown, as if trying to sort things out. "Max? C'mon, just relax..." Bling urged. "You'll be fine but you have to let them do their work..."

She didn't speak, showed no sign of recognition, except to ease her resistance a little more ... as she did, the techs deftly slipped in another dose of tranquilizer ... and with a grimace, Bling watched the thrashing lessen to leave only the echoing shudders of her seizures to wrack her slender frame.

Bling stepped back, wavering only a moment before turning to look toward the observation deck, gesturing toward Sebastian as he oversaw the activity. No words were spoken over the speaker system used earlier, but Bling heard the heavy metal door and its security lock click loudly in invitation, and he moved toward the door which would lead to Sebastian's nerve center.  
_  
...he'll take over Max's care, there's no way that he won't._ Bling thought tersely. _But that leaves me looking for Logan, and now another five minutes have been lost. And without knowing the source of the threat– hell, without knowing what the threat is– how can I know who is safe to call in for help?_

**Mari**

Logan never would have thought that one day he would be happy, relieved, even euphoric to see Zack … but then, in this situation even his uncle would be a welcome sight.

Still, he didn't like the interrogation-like tone of Zack's voice, and, deciding to fire back with the same attitude, asked, "So, Max was okay when she left you?"

He could have sworn that Zack's face lost his professional calm for an instant as his always serious expression became even darker, his gaze even more piercing... his voice biting. "What happened?"

"She came to my place, injured, her clothes torn. It didn't look that bad at first, but then she collapsed, seemingly with a seizure…. " Logan shrugged, hating the helpless feeling that came with not knowing what exactly was wrong with Max.

"She's at a friend, if anyone can take care of her, than it's him", he added defensively as he saw Zack's cold stare, clearly conveying his well-known opinion about Logan: He was the biggest threat for Max.  
And of course, he was right. Zack had been right all the time, and now it had come true: Max had been attacked, considering Logan's safety more important than her own as she hurried to warn him of whatever was behind all this. 

Logan's self-incrimination was interrupted by Zack's sharp voice, finally giving away what he knew. "They are after you. You exposed yourself a bit too much in the Manticore mission, and whomever wants Eyes Only down took the opportunity."

While Logan still was trying to fit in this new info into their tricky situation and come up with some kind of plan, Zack's transgenic brain already was a step ahead. "Give me the address of your friend."

With a questioning look Logan told him, then watched how, in one smooth move, Zack slipped of his motorcycle and bent down next to the Aztec where he removed the tracking device, putting it into the pocket of his jacket.

The last thing Logan heard of Zack was a harsh "Go back to her, I'll take care of this", then he was speeding of into the late afternoon gloom.

**Sim**

Even as Zack sped away, Logan's cell phone began to chirp. He checked the display; Bling. He moved to answer it... and then hesitated. 

If these people were smart enough to bug his car, they sure as hell had the resources to put a tap on his phone. Fortunately, the call to Sebastian had been on his secure line; but if he picked up this one he'd be virtually giving his pursuers directions to Max's location. 

Logan shifted his thumb across to the power button and turned the phone off. It was time he headed back to Max's side; then maybe they could sort this whole thing out.  
He just prayed she'd be ok. 

For the first time, Logan realised how cold he was. He was soaked to the skin, covered in mud and shivering uncontrolably. Adrenaline had kept him going this far, but he hadn't slept in the past two days either and he was exhausted, mentally and physically. If he wasn't careful he'd end up with a case of hypothermia and then he'd be no good to Max for hours. 

The great and powerful Eyes Only turned up the heater as far as it would go and then executed a three point turn, heading back the way he'd come. He was aware enough to recognise that his brain wasn't firing on all cylinders, but even so he didn't slow his breakneck speed. Max needed him, and he had to be there for her. 

So his reaction times were dulled when three black SUVs converged on his position. Logan hit the brakes and swerved to avoid one, but the water on the road robbed the tires of grip and the Aztec spun out of control, smashing into a wall and skidding along it for a long way until a dumpster halted his progress. 

Even as he lost consciousness, a word formed on Logan's lips, in hope, and longing, and love. 

"Max..."

**Lisa**

Bling paced back and forth, trying to organize his thoughts. He kept a close eye on Max's progress with the med techs and occasionally peered outside, as though expecting Logan to reappear as if by magic. He continued to call the spare cell phone that Logan kept in his glove box for emergencies, but there was no response. Bling wondered if he was choosing not to answer, or if he was just incapable. 


	3. Chapter 3

Tigrou

When he opened his eyes again, he looked straight into the face of the anti-christ.

"Good morning, son. "

Logan closed his eyes and opened them again, trying hard to ignore the maddening headache.

At least he could still feel...well, at least not more feeling was missing. He looked around and analyzed his surroundings as far as his short-sighted eyes allowed him to.  
He was in an old warehouse, it was still day and the storm was over, as the faint light of sunset was falling through the windows wherever dirt and cobwebs let enough glass free for the last rays of sun to enlighten the room. In the background he could see the black SUVs and several young people in black cat suits. He was lying on a field bed and next to him sat...

"When I helped you to take down Manticore, didn't you promise me to look after my kids?" said Donald Michael Lydecker. "Now, could you please tell me where Max and Zack are?"

**Lisa**

Logan took in his surroundings and decided that he was a patient, not a prisoner. He could feel something taped over his right eye, at the spot where his head hit the dashboard, and his shirt had been removed, allowing him to see gauze dressing adhering to the scrapes on his arm and a cold pack reducing the swelling in his shoulder. The place felt like a hide out rather than a jail. Even though Lydecker glowered at him with fierce, intimidating disapproval, Logan could see the others, Max's "brothers and sisters", watching him with concern.

"Will someone tell he what the _hell_ is going on?" Logan demanded with all the strength and authority he could muster.

**Tigrou**

"She's waking up" said the med tech Max had bitten during her prior struggle.

"Quick, the sedative!"

But before they had the chance to inject the next syringe full of nightmares into her beaten body, Bling could see her lips move.

"Red..." she whispered and her perfect features filled with fear. "Mercenaries..."

Donald Lydecker looked at Logan with an amused smile.

"Does the name Manuel Sonrisa ring a bell?"

**Sim**

"Manuel Sonrisa is behind this?" Asked Logan, brow furrowing as he analyzed the new information. "Well, at least now we know why he's going after me."

"And why's that?" called out Krit from the other side of the room.

"Manuel's brother Edgar was selling drugs intended for VA hospitals on the black market," Logan stated matter of factly. "Eyes Only tried to take him down in court, but we were ambushed escorting the only witness prepared to testify against him. In the end, Max tricked one of his own bodyguards into killing him." Logan's expression had grown distant; he snapped back into the present. "Has Zack checked in yet?"

"No; d'you know where he is?" Asked Syl anxiously.

"He took a tracker off my car and rode off with it to lead the trail away from Max. I told him where she was; he'll meet us there as soon as he's got rid of the bug." Logan reached out for the edge of the bed to push himself upright and stopped suddenly, a faint grunt the only sign he was in pain.

"Take it easy, son," said Lydecker. "Your shoulder was dislocated in the crash; that arm will be sore for days.

"Don't call me son, Lydecker," Logan snapped. "And next time you show up and run me off the road in black SUVs, make sure I've had notice. Preferably in writing." The X5s exchanged guilty glances.

"Duly noted," said Lydecker calmly. "Now tell me, where is Max?"

**Shywriter**

﻿"You haven't told me what's going on, with all of you here..." Logan fought for any shred of toughness he could find left in himself, his strength starting to wane.

"Son," Lydecker ignored his last demand, "you're not in much of a position to be making demands."

"If you want me to trust you with Max's location..." Logan managed.

Lydecker considered him, his eyes narrowing, and suddenly started putting things together. "Did something happen with Max?" When he saw Logan's unwitting reaction, he became more intense. "Tell me! What happened to Max?"

Logan's thoughts suddenly flashed back to a broken, unconscious Max, and admitted, "she showed up at my place, and was hurt, like she'd been attacked. She's being treated..."

He was vaguely aware that a couple of her siblings reacted – they hadn't known Max had been injured? Lydecker too reacted, but his response barely gave anything away."You didn't take her to a hospital..." Lydecker barked.

"No, of course not. She's at ... a private clinic. Safe, I promise. Is all this..." he waved around the large room, "part of what got her injured?"

"Actually ... it's connected to your 'friend,' Sonrisa. Manuel apparently was ambivalent about what happened to his brother, given that the 'empire' Edgar had established wasn't totally lost with his death, and that Manuel managed to capture most of what remained for himself. In fact, he's taking some steps to ensure that he can be nearly as successful as Edgar was."

Logan's eyes narrowed, wracking his brain for any clue as to why Lydecker would know this or, more to the point, why he would care. He looked across the faces of the X-5s nearby, and, gaining no insight from them, glanced back at Lydecker. "And, what, you and your kids have nothing better to do, since you've taken out Manticore's local office, and you're freelancing in black market terrorists, now?"

Lydecker's mouth hardened at Logan's bravado, not buying it for a moment, and losing interest in gaining his guest's good graces. "Son, there are some things even more dangerous for these kids than Manticore ever was. We'd gotten word of a South African operation which was building their own super-soldiers, a bit differently than we were, but with ... similar ... results. With only a little investigation we determined that they were looking for us ... for Max..."

"...the Reds..." Logan breathed.

"You know about them?" Lydecker's eyebrows raised, impressed in spite of himself.

"They went after Max a while back... " Logan's thoughts suddenly flashed back to a broken, unconscious Max, the unusual wounds, her agitation, and he fought to sit up, "was that it? Max was attacked again by the Reds?"

"If she was hurt, it would have had to have been them." Lydecker went on, "our intel told us just three days ago that the remaining group was back here, on a mission, and ..." for the first time, Lydecker glanced back to the X-5s around him, including them, "we decided to join forces and see if we can do what we could to neutralize them."

"But... Max made it sound like they were after me, not them..." He nodded toward the assembled kids.

Lydecker nodded slowly. "Apparently they've struck a deal: Sonrisa has decided that the best way to re-establish his brother's empire is to eliminate Eyes Only and his network of operatives, the only force able to take out his brother. Manuel stumbled on some mercenaries for hire who specialize in 'tough jobs.' Once contacted, these mercenaries were absolutely delighted to make a return trip to Seattle. So..." Lydecker's mouth twisted from its grim line into a cold smile, full of humorless irony. "Seems they're here looking for _you_ this time, not Max..."

**Mari**

"Bling, I think we got him."

Hearing the voice of one of Sebastian's assistants, the therapist turned around, gently loosening Max's grip on his hand that even in her drugged sleep was remarkably strong. He followed the guy to Sebastian's command centre that was stuffed with computers, monitors and every other kind of electronic devices and always brought an ecstatic look to Logan's face.

He wasn't even halfway through the door when Sebastian's metallic voice started to fill him in on his findings. "One of my informants at the traffic police just told me that there was a car crash in sector 11, involving Logan's vehicle and three others. An ambulance is already on it's way, just in case, but John here", upon hearing his name, the assistant nodded, "will drive you there."

Seeing Bling's hesitant look, John smiled crookedly, rightly guessing his reluctance to endanger more people. "I'm trained for such situations. Besides", he added, his smile widening, "Sebastian's friends are my friends."

As he followed John , Bling pondered about the likelihood that Logan's abductors just had a simple car accident… or whether things had gotten even more complicated – and more dangerous.

**Shywriter**

﻿Even with a sector point to cross, John's knowledge of the streets and skilled driving got them to the scene of the accident in record time. As they pulled up, John's phone rang and as he listened, his mouth set grimly. "Right. We'll see if anything turns up here." He pulled up to a nearby curb, across from Logan's Aztek, which was still sitting in the road, lonely and battered, with no sign of the other three vehicles which had allegedly been involved in the crash.

As they sat in the van and watched the traffic arm of the sector police crawling over the scene, John said quietly, "Sebastian's guy called him back – by the time the cops got there, the other three vehicles had all vanished. Only way they knew there were others involved was because one of the homeless guys, over there, came forward to say he saw the wreck. They only half-way took him seriously; he was babbling about black ninja tanks, and a death squad full of super fast soldiers..." he looked at Bling knowingly.

Bling hesitated, almost afraid to take it as the good news he thought it might be. "Any sign of Logan?"

"No, he couldn't really see much from where he was hiding, but he did see a couple of them get into the passenger compartment – when the three 'black ninja' vehicles sped off, the guy sneaked over to your friend's car, and no one was inside."

Bling considered, hoping against hope that the 'black ninja' vehicles and 'super fast soldiers' meant Max's family – and from John's expression, it seemed he suspected the same thing. Putting aside for a moment the fact that some of Sebastian's crew was in on Manticore too, Bling asked, "what if we go check around a bit ourselves?"

"Sounds good to me," John agreed. "Probably not enough to get the cops' interest, though, right?"

"Right with you on that," Bling agreed as he got out. His progress was halted, though, as before he took more than a couple steps, he saw a form, at a distance, slowly and silently roll into view on a large, black motorcycle. As he made eye contact, he barely saw Zack tip his head his way, then move the cycle back into the shadows...

**Lisa**

Motioning for John to wait by the car, Bling carefully approached the dark figure hiding in the shadows. He recognized Zack, and quickly reviewed everything he had ever learned about the man. He knew that Max trusted him like a brother, but he also knew that Logan didn't share that sentiment. While he suspected the rivalry had more to do with Max than anything else, he also knew that this X5 had no love for Logan. He decided that Zack could very well be the reason Logan was missing in the first place. But Bling knew he needed answers, so he was prepared to listen to what the man had to say.

"I need you to take me to Max," Zack shot out by way of greeting. "She needs me."

"She's in good hands," Bling assured him.

Zack pursed his lips in anger and glowered at the man who was slowing him down. "Whoever she's with won't be able to protect her from what's out there. Your people won't be equipped to handle them. And if she needs a blood transfusion, I'm the only one that can help. Stop wasting time and tell me where she is so I can help her.

"Any idea where Logan is?" Bling asked, knowing he could use his knowledge about Max's location as a bargaining chip.

"I'm not sure," Zack answered in a tone that indicated that he really didn't care. "The police scanner said there was an accident with some black SUVs. If that's true, I don't know where he is, but I have a pretty good idea who he's with. They'll look out for him."

Deciding Zack was probably right about the blood transfusion if nothing else, Bling made his decision. "Follow us," he said, heading back to the car.

**Sim**

Logan's eyes narrowed on Lydecker. Even when mildly concussed his brain was invaluable when it came to figuring out a bad guy's next move.

"Do you have any way to get in touch with Zack?" He asked.

"Disposable cell phone; but he's not picking up," said Zane.

"Forget Zack," said Lydecker. "He can take care of himself. Just tell me; where is Max?" Logan met the icy blue eyes of Max's nemesis, and read concern and frustration and... hunger?

"What aren't you telling me?" he asked. Lydecker abruptly leaned back, sensing that he'd revealed too much; Logan's protective instincts for Max jumped into overdrive, lending him strength. "You have something else working here, don't you?"

"If he does, it's nothing he's told any of us about," said Jondy mistrustfully.

"There is nothing to tell," Lydecker insisted. "I've done everything I could to help you; you'd never have taken down Manticore without me."

"Then you won't mind explaining how exactly you knew the Reds were coming to town to look for Eyes Only," said Logan.

"They're one of the few things that can threaten my kids; I keep tabs on them," the former Colonel replied.

"I might buy that if your information was sketchier; but I do this for a living. There's no way you could have intell this good without a man on the inside."

"I have some excellent sources."

"I believe you. But why Max, specifically? You have all these X5s doing your bidding but for some reason you're desperate to get your hands on her. Why?"

"You're not the only one the South Africans are after, son," said Lydecker simply.

**Blue**

Zack followed the dark blue Chrysler van on it's way through town. The driver was skilled, Zack realized with some respect, dodging strongly frequented streets and crossing the sector at a fast pace.

The X5 had narrowed his eyes, set his mouth in a firm line. His serious expression was well hidden behind the black helmet. He was anxious to get to Max. Years ago he had promised to watch out for his siblings; he'd vowed to take care of them. And now Manticore was gone, the threat of capture and reprogramming erased for good, only to be replaced by the new threat the Reds posed.  
_DAMN_, he swore silently. But he wouldn't allow his thoughts to dwell on the recent events, nor would he wallow in self-pity. He just wasn't made that way. His first priority was to make sure Max was safe. Then they would assess the situation, make a plan how to solve the problem and take care that plan was thoroughly executed. End of story.

Zack was just a bit concerned about Lydecker's involvement. It was hard to work with Lydecker … it was disgusting and nerve-wracking, and the Colonel seemed always able to put Zack's teeth on edge. Krit had assured him that the man was helping them to fend off the Reds, and that they needed his sources and intel. But still, there was this uneasy feeling building in the pit of his stomach. Lydecker had always had his own agenda and surely this time wasn't a exception.

Zack breathed sigh of a relief when the vehicle in front of him finally eased into parking position. He secured his bike and followed both men inside, forcefully pushing all dark images of his injured sister into the back of his mind. _She's going to be okay_, he assured himself. But when they hurriedly entered the building, his throat tightened and the pace of his heartbeat quickened.

**Mari**

Before Logan had a chance to process this new piece of information into a question, Lydecker abruptly stood at the call of one of the X5 and walked over to join their heated discussion.

Logan was left to his own, unheeded by the group even though several of the females repeatedly looked over to him, their expressions unreadable without his glasses.

Frustrated his hand started to rub on some blood stains on his injured arm while his mind restlessly analyzed his options – or lack thereof. Even in the trickiest situation Logan normally could always be sure that either Max or Bling might come to his rescue. Now however Max was in no state to rescue anyone and while he was sure that Bling was mobilizing every possible source to find him, he hadn't exactly left him much of a clue. Logan cursed inwardly, the headache resulting from his crash with the dashboard not exactly helping with his thinking. Speeding of as fast as possible had seemed like the best solution, but now, without his chair, his cell phone and a hurting shoulder that further limited his mobility it suddenly sounded like a very stupid idea.

His only hope was on Zack, the one person who knew both about his and Max's location but Logan had a sinking feeling that he didn't rank very high on other man's list of priorities.

**Lisa**

When Zack first glimpsed Max, a sickening nausea made his gut churn. She was lying on an examination table, restrained so she wouldn't injure herself. Her skin was pale and had a greenish tinge to it, and her face showed the tension she couldn't let go of, even in unconsciousness. She was sedated, but still twitching, the aftereffects of her seizures and the constant pain she was enduring.

Zack wasted no time in ripping off his jacket and rushing to her side. He rolled up his sleeve and viciously jabbed a needle into his arm, attaching himself to Max's IV tubing. A lab tech silently brought a chair to his side and he watched her face intently as he transfused her.

After a long time, Zack gave in to the fatigue that was starting to overtake him. Just as he started to fall asleep in his chair, he saw the color returning to Max's face and her eyes beginning to flutter open.


	4. Chapter 4

**Blue**

The first thing Max felt, when she regained consciousness, was a wave of nausea that rolled over her. She was weak, incredibly weak, but at the same time she knew with every fiber of her being that she was going to be okay. The violent seizures that had raged through her body had subsided to a faint shaking; the almost unbearable pain of her gunshot wound radiated a throbbing pain, but she already felt it healing. _Good_.

She couldn't remember where she was and how she'd gotten there. Her memory was just an unfinished puzzle and as much as she wrung her brain for an answer, she came up empty-handed.

_The Reds … a shot … Logan … doctors … pain … Manticore …_

Her eyes fluttered open, dreading the sight that would great them … yet, surprisingly she looked straight into her brother's half-closed, tired eyes.

"Zack?" She whispered softly.

**Lisa**

"Max?" Zack answered sleepily, trying to clear the fog in his head. He felt lightheaded and disoriented, but he smiled when his mind focused in on the fact that the transfusion had worked. He tried to rouse himself, but was having a hard time waking up. He managed to take her hand in his and ask, "Hey, how do you feel?"

"Like a pack of revved-up South Africans just kicked my ass to the curb." She moaned. "Hard."

"Because they did," Zack reminded her as he tenderly smiled down at her, his other hand moving to stroke the hair from her face in a comforting gesture.

"Where are we?" Her voice still sounded so small.

"Someplace safe," he reassured her as he continued to play with her hair. His smile deepened as he saw her visibly relax against her pillow. He continued to croon in a calming voice, "Don't worry, Max, I'll look out for you."

Max let out a small sigh, letting go of all the pain and fear and tension that had been wracking her body since her encounter with the enemy. She closed her eyes again and allowed herself to indulge in a rare, peaceful feeling of safety. Her body started to feel heavy as she began to fade back into a peaceful sleep. "Where's Logan?" she murmured as she began to drift off. 

Zack's hand stilled in her hair for a moment, but he quickly resumed the action before he thought she would notice. Even so, his voice lost some of its soothing tone as he answered, "Just rest, Max. Everything will be fine. I'm here."

Suddenly, Max was fully alert and wide awake. She irritably batted Zack's hand away from her head and struggled to sit up, loudly demanding, "Logan! Where is he?"

**Blue**

"Yeah, where is Logan?" Bling's calm but determined voice chimed in as the broad-shouldered physiotherapist entered the room and then crossed it with big, ground-covering steps, stopping beside the bed. He foldeded his arms in front of his chest, and his glance met the defiant eyes of the soldier inquiringly.

Zack narrowed his eyes and for a moment Bling feared Max's bother wouldn't answer his question.

"Zack!" Max hissed angrily, drawing the glances of both men onto her small, battered frame. She grimaced, tucking forcefully at the straps that fastened her arms to the bed. "And would anybody possess the kindliness to free me from those damn restraints? Please."

"Sorry," Bling murmured, while a faint blush colored his cheeks. Heat crawled over the back of his neck. Normally he wasn't one to be easily embarrassed, but knowing how Max might feel and not having prevented that, made him squirm. _I'm just an insensitive ass_, he chided himself and removed the straps with fast movements. He didn't want to imagine which memories they'd evoked within Max with their carelessness.

Max brought herself into a sitting position, her face stony, nothing but her pale face betraying the pain she was undoubtedly feeling.

"Take it easy, Max," Bling warned her, his voice serious, but full of warmth.

Max just glared at him, anger the only emotion visible in her eyes, until she realized it wasn't Bling who was responsible for her unpleasant situation. A small smile tugged at her lips and her eyes darkened just another notch.

"Sure dad," she deadpanned, mimicking Logan, but her eyes soon lost their sparkle as she directed her glance at Zack, scrutinizing her brother attentively.

The X5 stood his ground firmly for a few seconds, but finally shrugged one leather-clad shoulder. "I think he is with the others," the X5 finally revealed and after short hesitation added uncomfortably: "… and with Lydecker." 

**Sim**

"LYDECKER?!" exclaimed Max. "You let that twisted son of a bitch get his hands on Logan?" She reached for her IV and yanked it out, then tried to roll out of bed.  
Bling caught her before she hit the floor, a cry of pain escaping from the sudden movement of her wounds. 

"Easy, Max; you're not going anywhere," he said, placing her back on the bed. "You've just been shot, remember?" 

"Logan... I've got to warn him... He's in danger..." 

Zack scowled. "The others are right there with him, Max; they won't let any harm come to the guy." 

"He's right, Max," said Bling. "There's probably nowhere safer in the city than with your family." Max looked unconvinced. 

Bling covered her over with a blanket. "Don't worry. You just get some rest; I'll deal with Logan. Even if I have to kick his ass." 

Max couldn't resist a smile at that. "Just bring him home safe," she said sleepily. "I'll kick his ass myself when I'm feeling better." 

Gently, the huge bodyguard tucked her in. "Deal," he said softly, as her deep chocolate eyes closed again. 

When Bling was sure she was asleep, he turned to Zack and spoke in a furious whisper. 

"Now there had better be a damn good reason why I found Logan's chair tipped over in the parking lot and his car smashed into a wall, Zack; and if he's hurt it won't be Logan's ass that gets kicked." 

The X5 got to his feet to be on eye level with the therapist... and then the blood loss he'd just suffered caught up with him and he toppled over, out cold.

**Mari**

With a swift move Bling stepped forward to catch the other man's heavy body, simultaneously alerting the med techs with a sharp "Hey". 

Absently noting that, even while unconscious, Zack's face displayed a disapproving, grim stiffness around his narrow lips that were so very unlike Max's, Bling felt his frustration rise as again things were taken out of his hands. He had grudgingly brought Zack to Max, knowing that the other man wouldn't tell them anything before he hadn't seen with his own eyes that his sister was in good hands. The decision had been eased by the knowledge that - while Lydecker's motives might be questioned - he and the X5 at least knew how to take care of Logan and any possible injuries.

Bling had waited with seemingly endless outward patience while Zack sat bedside vigil beside because he was sure that, once awake, Max's first concern would be Logan. Bling knew that any questions about Logan would weigh much more for Zack when it came from his sister, whose voice was able to reach the caring brother rather than the dutiful soldier.

And he had been right. At least once today, things were developing as planned … until Zack fainted, seemingly weakened by the blood loss. It wasn't anything serious, as one of the nurses assured him, but it meant more waiting while with every second Bling was becoming itchier to finally get to Logan.

**Shywriter**

"Bling--"

Bling turned around to look back into the observation center overlooking the medical treatment rooms where Max and now Zack were being monitored. Sebastian's voice once again came out over the speakers.

"If I could have a moment..."

Bling nodded and crossed out of the treatment room to the secured door, and was again offered wordless entry. This time, however, as he went into the room full of Sebastian's monitors and gadgets that made Logan's look amateur, his host was waiting for him, an intensity burning in his eyes.

"Did I hear Max correctly, that the South Africans are back? The Reds did this to her?"

Bling nodded. "Of course, who knows what happened, or if she's even remembering right. But I've never heard of anything else being able to take her down like this..."

Sebastian sighed, his brow furrowed slightly. "Then we have even bigger problems ahead. Come look at this..."

**Lisa**

After a hurried consultation with his kids, Lydecker returned to the patient's bedside. He hated having to share information with a civilian, but he figured he had better educate Logan about the situation in order to prepare him for what was coming. "These assassins that are looking for you and Max, they call themselves the Reds," he began.

"South African soldiers who have been enhanced with a neurological implant. They're death row convicts that volunteer, and the implant ends up killing them after about six months. Even though it's unstable, that implant makes them strong enough to take down an X5. Basically super-soldiers," Logan finished. Both men stared at each other, Logan trying hard not to look smug and Lydecker trying hard no to look impressed.

"Max encountered the Reds once before? How did she get away from them"

"They came after her a few months back; the only way she could take them down was by attaching one of the implants to her spine. Afterwards, we had to short it out to keep it from killing her," Logan explained. The memory of having to cut into Max's body and shock her with so much electricity still made him sick to his stomach.

"Where's that implant now?" Lydecker asked sharply.

"In the back of her neck."

Realization dawned on Lydecker as another puzzle piece fell into place. "_That's_ why they want Max; they know only one X5 could survive something like that without suffering neurological damage or dying from septic infection. They're after her genetic code." 

**Sim  
**

Bling stared at Sebastian's plasma screen, his usually serene features contorted with anxiety. 

"The Reds... are after Logan?" He managed, after a long pause. "How did you get this?" 

"My source is reliable," the computer generated voice intoned. "If I had to guess, I'd say that the attack they made on Max was to draw Logan out." 

"But why? I hate to say it, but Logan's not that hard to get to; why bother to go after someone as dangerous as Max?" 

"Maybe they're trying to kill two birds with one stone," Sebastian suggested. Or maybe they've worked out just how close their relationship is." 

"More than Max and Logan have managed," Bling replied. He turned desperate eyes on his companion, his voice becoming slightly hysterical. 

"How am I supposed to protect Logan from this? We don't even know where he is; and we only have Zack's word that the South Africans don't already have him. He could be at the bottom of Puget Sound by now..." 

"Panicking isn't going to help anyone, Bling; least of all Logan." 

"I know!" The therapist snapped... and then realized what he'd said. "I'm sorry, man; guess I really am a mother hen." 

"We're all worried for him, Bling. The Reds aren't a force anyone wants to have gunning for them. But we do have one advantage over our friends from Johannesburg." 

"Yeah? What's that?" 

"We know that there's an entire platoon of X5s in town; and even better, we know they're on our side."

**Lisa**

Max rested on her hospital bed, her mind at war with her body. Physically, she was spent. She ached all over, her leg felt like it was on fire if she moved it the wrong way, and she was so exhausted she could barely keep her eyes open. Her thoughts, however, were racing. She worried about where Logan was and if he was safe; wondered whether Lydecker could be trusted and what his stake was in this; and agonized about why the Reds wanted Logan and what they had planned for her if they came back for her with greater numbers. Her thoughts raced as she thought out battle plans, escape routes, and strategy.

She took an occasional rest from her internal plotting to glare at the unconscious man in the bed next to hers. She appreciated the fact that he had given up a few quarts to fix her up, but he had picked a hell of a time to pass out. He was the only one who could lead her to Logan.

As she stared at Zack, mentally willing him to wake up and be helpful, she noticed a cell phone attached to his belt. She noticed it because it was ringing.


	5. Chapter 5

Blue

Max grimaced as she moved to the edge of the bed, stubbornly ignoring the burning pain that shot through her body. Her dark eyes clouded over, and the breath escaped her lungs in short gasps. The cell phone's soft ring mocked her as she reached for the desired object, realizing with frustration that she still wasn't able to touch it. For a split second she closed her eyes as she stretched over the gap between the bed and her brother. A thin film of perspiration gathered over her upper lip and on her forehead, and she fought desperately to keep conscious. Tiny silver stars exploded in front of her eyes. 

_LOGAN … I gotta help him … have to reach the phone_

And suddenly strong hands grasped her upper arms and placed her gently back on the bed. The ringing stopped, and Max fought desperately to suppress the tears of frustration that threatened to escape the corners of her eyes.

"Who is this?" Bling's calm voice cut through the silence.

Max eyes snapped open and with an huge inward sigh of relief she realized that Bling already held the phone to his ear.

She wouldn't have thought that she would ever be glad to hear that gruff, commanding voice that now ordered from the other side of the line: "I want to speak with Zack!"

**Sim**

As soon as Lydecker had dropped his revelation, he strode away from Logan, pulling a cell phone from his pocket. He pressed speed dial and waited, every line of the man's body screaming impatience. 

Just as it seemed that no one was going to pick up, Lydecker tensed as Bling spoke. 

"Who is this?" 

"I want to speak with Zack," the colonel said firmly. 

"I want to speak with Logan," replied Bling, equally firmly. "I'm assuming you have him?" 

"Are you proposing a trade?" 

"Put Logan on this phone and we'll find out." 

"Hold on," Lydecker told him grudgingly. He moved swiftly to Logan's side and handed over the phone. 

"Hello?" said Logan, wondering who exactly he was talking to. 

"Logan! Are you OK?" Logan visibly relaxed at hearing Bling's voice. 

"I've been better. How's Max?" 

"Ask her yourself." Bling handed Zack's cell over to an anxious Max. 

"Logan?" 

"Max." The relief in Logan's voice was palpable. "How are you feeling?" 

"Better now; Zack gave me some blood when he got here. You?" 

"I've had worse. Just some cuts and bruises from the car crash." 

"What car crash?!" Max demanded, throwing a filthy look at Bling. 

"I'll tell you about it later. Right now, we have bigger problems." 

"The Reds," she agreed. "What's the plan?" 

"Nothing you need to worry about," Logan said soothingly. "You just concentrate on getting well; I'll ask some of your sibs to help." 

"You have got to be kidding." 

"Max, trust me. I have a plan; and you're in no state to go up against the Reds again. You and Zack should be safe enough there for the moment." 

"What about you? And my family? I don't trust Lydecker, Logan; he'll sell you out in a heartbeat." 

"I know; I'm counting on it. Just send Bling over to Lydecker's base of operations with my chair; I have everything under control." 

"Logan... Be careful." 

"You too." He cut the connection. 

"Max is safe?" Asked Lydecker, who'd been trying his best to hear both sides of the conversation. 

"Yes; and Zack is with her. Now, I think you need to contact your guy on the inside with the Reds. You have a deal to make." 

"And what am I offering?" 

"Me," stated Logan simply.

**Blue**

Logan's generous offer was followed by complete silence. The X5s exchanged disbelieving glances and then directed their eyes at Logan.  
"I don't think that's a good idea," Krit announced finally, furrowing his brow.  
"Nope," Jondy agreed decisively and added with some discomfort: "Siblings or not, Max is definitely going to kick our asses if we help sign his death sentence." She nodded her head into Logan's direction and rolled her eyes at the ordinary. _What was he thinking?_

"This is not Max's decision," Lydecker snarled coldly and glared at Krit and Jondy, daring them to speak again. The temperature in the room suddenly seemed to drop a few degrees, and all X5's tensed visibly, but for whatever reason Krit and Jondy remained silent.

After some seconds the Colonel admitted, a bit softer now: "I admire your bravado, Mr Cale. But I'm not sure how your sacrifice could help Max. We can never be sure the South Africans keep given promises, and as badly as I want them off Max's back, I'm not going to spend you as cannon fodder."

"That means we need a plan," Krit offered quickly, not giving Logan a chance to speak again, "… and we need it fast."

Lydecker nodded, once again directing his gray blue eyes at Logan: "You told Max you have a plan, what is it?"

**Sim**

"Look," Logan said in exasperation. "This plan is very simple. Lydecker sets up a trade with the Reds; he gives them Eyes Only in exchange for them leaving Max alone. Then when we go to the meet, you guys step in and take them out." 

"There is no way that's going to work, Logan," said Jondy emphatically. "The South Africans will assume it's a double cross; they'll be prepared. They know you're a friend to X5s." 

"But they don't know that you guys are in town. They certainly don't know you're working with Lydecker now. All he has to do is convince them he's selling me out to protect Max; and that shouldn't be hard. It's exactly the kind of thing he would do." Lydecker shrugged. 

"How d'you know he won't? How d'you know the Reds won't just shoot you on sight?" Asked Syl. 

"If that was their plan they'dve taken me out with a sniper; I'm not that hard to get to. Besides, what's in my head is a lot more valuable while it's attached to the rest of me." 

"They'll've heard about your car," said Krit slowly. "The black SUVs do suggest Manticore Special Ops. And they won't expect an accident to have been caused by friends." 

"Yeah; what's with that anyway?" Asked Syl. "I was driving one of them and I sure didn't expect you to react like you did." 

Logan glanced away, rubbing his good hand absently over an unfeeling thigh as he replied. 

"Let's just say it's not the first time I've been run off the road by black SUVs," he said.

_The squeal of tyres as the windows filled with bulky, threatening shapes of the cars; the sound of gunfire as he threw himself down to cover Sophie in the back seat. Peter's shouted orders to let him cover Lauren… Running, with the screaming child in his arms, knowing he wasn't going to make it… and then he was falling… _

Syl's eyes widened; she looked mortified. "Oh, Logan…" she breathed. "I'm sorry…" 

"There was no way you could've known," he replied, embarrassed. "Don't worry about it."

**Lisa**

Max pushed herself off the gurney, wincing in pain as her feet hit the floor but forcing herself to suck it up. _You heal fast!_ She reminded herself. _The pain will be gone soon; just ignore it until it is._ She took a deep breath to counter the dizzy wave that hit her and held onto the table for support, but she remained standing. Good. She was already better off than she was five minutes ago.

When Bling saw her getting up, he rushed back to her side. Concern and frustration warred inside of him as he demanded, "Max, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Look," she growled, "I may be a little out of it right now, but I can still kick your ass if I need to. I'd rather not, because I'm a little tired, but I will if I need to, understand? You need to take me to Logan."

"Max," he tried to gently reason with her, "Logan wants you as far away from all this as possible."

"I know, that's why I need to see him. Now, do I need to waste time beating you up first, or can we just leave now?"

**Mari**

Determined to clear the awkward mood, Logan gave Lydecker an urging nod. "Come on, let's get things moving!"

The colonel hesitated for a second, a sentiment of which Logan didn't know whether it was his disapproval about receiving commands from a civilian or true regret at having to sacrifice said person. Then however he flipped open his cell phone and walked away, only allowing them to listen to the beginning of his conversation. "Anderson? Listen, I have an offer to make."

Carefully Logan used his healthy arm to push himself up a bit further, looking expectantly into the calm faces of the surrounding soldiers. "You don't happen to know where my glasses are? And…", he added, suddenly aware of his bare chest, "…maybe a shirt or something…?"

Immediately one of them turned to disappear into some far part of the building, leaving Logan to ruefully ponder if maybe a decent means of transportation was burried somewhere in the depths of the warehouse. Just when the picture of himself being exchanged to the reds like a piece of luggage popped up in his head, one of the female X5, a tall brunette that somehow reminded him of Max, came into his sight with a worn sweatshirt…and something that he recognized as the pieces of his sport-chair.

Handing them to him, the X5 explained, "It was in the car, in the trunk. I hope we took all the pieces…"

Logan's face distorted in annoyance with his mistreated head for forgetting that he had left it there after the last game. Then however he gave the young woman a dazzling smile of genuine gratefulness… a gesture of which he could have sworn that it made her blush just the tiniest bit if it wasn't for the unlikelihood of such a emotional slip happening to a highly professional super-soldier.

Just when he had transferred to the chair with a some assistance from the brunette – now in turn giving Logan a blush – Lydecker came back, fixing him with a cold stare that made him feel like a lab rat. "We'll meet them at a warehouse in sector 7 in an hour." 

**Shywriter**

"No, Max..."

Max's eyes flashed in anger as Bling shook his head, still gently holding her shoulders, urging her attention, "Listen to me – Sebastian's people say the Reds are after Logan now – and no matter what you say, it wasn't all that long ago they were very interested in you, too. _Think_ about it, Max," Bling urged, his eyes looking steadily into hers, his voice calm but persuasive. "They're enough of a handful without our helping them by putting you and Logan in the same place, both of you already wounded and not in much condition to fend off anyone. Tactically, I can't think of a worse decision."

Max shook her head stubbornly, "Bling, I'm not going to just wait around for them to get Logan..."

"I'm not asking you to; hear me out." With gentle firmness, Bling guided Max to sit back on the cot and sat beside her, waiting until she met his gaze again, and began, "so, with your ability to heal faster – two hours to you would be like two days to any of the rest of us, right?"

"If not more – Bling, we have to go..." she urged.

"No – _I_ have to go. Max," he spoke over her as she drew another breath to protest. "Let me go and check Logan out – maybe he needs to get back here too for some treatment; I think that wreck might have thrown him around some. I can see what's going on there and I'll give you a call. You stay here, just another two hours, and just rest – sleep if you can–and maybe by then Zack will be ready to go too. If it's a trap, or if something goes down there– we still have you two on the outside."

Max's protests died as the practical sense of what Bling said began to sink in, and eventually, grudgingly, she asked, "Call me when you get there – and let me talk with Logan?"

Stubborn himself now, Bling shook his head, "No, that's not resting. If I get there and there's a serious problem, I'll call you–" at her skeptical look, Bling promised, "Max, I give you my word. So you get some sleep and we'll touch base in two hours." She had no response, and Bling saw he was getting through. "You know that if you let yourself have just two more hours, it will make an enormous difference fours hours from now, as opposed to you charging over there now, still feeling like you do."

Max was still silent, her breath coming in frustrated bursts until she finally asked, "how could you know that?"

Bling knew he'd won at that and smiled, "makes sense – true for anyone, just true for you faster."

"Bling, take care of him, and I'll spell you in two hours..."

Bling's smile was gentle. "I know you will. And you'll be in a lot better shape to get his back." He leaned back and before standing, shot a glance over toward Zack. "He'll probably be awake soon, too, won't he?" At Max's nod, Bling offered a smirk and said, "I had an ulterior motive, too. With all he has here, and all he does for Logan, we need to stay in Sebastian's good graces, don't we?" As Max's expression shifted from uncertainty about what he was saying, to a dawning realization of his point, Bling watched her relax a little into a smile of her own and said, "I think for all of our sakes, it will be best to have you hang around for when Zack wakes up. He's likely to tax even Sebastian's patience." As she chuckled, her eyes again heavy, Bling noted with some concern that she was still weak enough that he'd won so easily and she was so ready to succumb to sleep.

_Two hours_, he thought. _I sure hope it makes as much of a difference as she thinks..._

**Lisa**

Logan allowed the x-5 to wheel him over towards the others, who had come together in a loose circle, an informal council of war.

"Figure ten minutes for transport time and thirty for recon and positioning once we get there. That only leaves us with a couple of minutes to come up with a plan," Syl reminded them, taking charge of the group . Each of the Manticore kids shared an expression of concentration, deep focus, and strategic awareness as they came together to rapidly contemplate all the possibilities. This was familiar territory for them; they were trained for it.

"The Colonel's intel indicates there are eight Red Series on this mission, and five of us with Zack out of the picture. We don't know what they're capable of, but we know they took Max out, so calculate a severe threat."

"Remember that Max went unarmed," another x-5 offered. "Zack always talked about her weird hang up with guns. _We_ don't have that problem, and I don't think the Reds are bulletproof."

"A sniper on the roof then," Syl decided. "Jondy, you're the best shot in close quarters. Two of us will hang back as reserves and two of us will go in and flank the Colonel and Mr. Cale. We go heavily armed, but with concealed weapons. We won't have much more of a plan than that until we get there and see exactly what we're up against."

As Logan listened to those young soldiers strategizing, his thoughts kept going back to Max. He kept thinking with the Manticore threat gone, the Red Series were the only thing that still posed a threat to her safety. He listened to Syl giving instructions about how he was to be protected at all cost and how they were to evacuate him to safety if the opposition was too strong. If they couldn't win today, they would pull him out and regroup. "No," Logan countered. "Trade me to the Reds. Then go find Max and get her as far away from here as possible."

The x-5s stared at him, some with confusion and some with understanding. Syl looked at him with compassion and said softly, "That's not an option. Your safety is a primary mission objective, otherwise Max would never speak to any of us again."

"It's futile to do any more planning until we see the terrain and the opposition strength," Lydecker cut in, sensing the strategy session was going off track. He loaded his weapon and gave a final, appraising look at all of his kids. "Let's move out."

**Sim**

It had been decided that Krit and Zane would go with Logan and Lydecker; the pair had dressed hurriedly in Manticore style assault uniforms, to try and prevent the Reds guessing that they were transgenics. The females took up their positions; Jondy on a roof across the street, Syl in the sewers and Tinga behind the main party. 

Thanking God that he had his sports chair, Logan pushed himself into the warehouse one-handed, with Zane right behind him in a suitably threatening position.  
There were five Reds and two handlers waiting for them. The leader smirked at the sight of the little party. 

"I really didn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes," he said. "Donald Lydecker, giving us exactly what we want." 

"You know me, Anderson. I'll do whatever it takes to protect my kids." 

"But not their boyfriends, apparently," said Anderson. "What, didn't you approve of Mr Cale dating one of your elite girls?" 

"Not at all. I'm a practical man," said Lydecker. "Sacrifices must be made for the good of the unit." 

"Can we get on with this?" said Logan impatiently. 

"Certainly, Mr Cale," said Anderson smoothly. He pulled something that looked like an old fashioned walkie-talkie out of his pocket and pressed a button. 

Instantly, Zane and Krit dropped to the ground, clutching their ears in agony. After a few seconds, both were unconscious. 

"Hypersonic device," said Anderson smugly. "With their enhanced hearing, it knocks out any X5s in a hundred metre radius. I thought it would be a prudent measure, in case you'd had any clever ideas." In unison, all of the Reds raised their weapons to point at the two of them.

"I think you should drop your guns now, Deck," the South African said. "Between the man who ran Manticore for thirty years, two alumni and the boyfriend of its finest creation, this has been a very profitable day for us..." 

Five minutes later, when the three females came around, the warehouse was empty.


	6. Chapter 6

**Lisa**

Logan sat with a gun aimed at his head while he watched two unconscious x-5 soldiers being tied in restraints. Their hands were shackled behind their backs, their ankles bound together. The Red soldiers searched for concealed weapons and removed their belts and shoes, working quickly to have them immobilized before they regained consciousness. Once the x-5s were bound, the Reds used the same precautionary measures on Lydecker.

When they went to restrain Logan in the same fashion, he pointedly looked at his wheelchair and his bandaged shoulder and incredulously demanded, "Where would I go?" The Reds apparently thought he had a point, because they tied his hands together in front of him and left it at that.

With no seconds lost, all four prisoners were loaded into the back of a storage truck, locked in, and left to wait while they were brought to another location.

As soon as they were underway, Lydecker snapped, "Krit. Zane. Wake up." The only response was a fluttering of eyelids, indicating that they would be awake soon.

Lydecker leaned his head back against the wall of the truck and let out a deep sigh. "I should have seen this coming," he chastised himself. "We knew they wanted the technology. It was foolish to think they wouldn't double-cross us. Now they have two working x-5 models to base their next series after; me and whatever secrets they think they'll be able to squeeze out; and you, the perfect bait to lure their genetic prize out in the open. They played this one well."

"Oh, they're not that smart," Logan said with a lopsided smirk.

"What makes you say that, Son?" asked Lydecker.

With a small nod over his shoulder towards his back, Logan explained, "They missed the 9mm in my belt."

**Mari**

"Ann?"

Sebastian's metallic voice broke the silence in the room where one of the nurses was bending over Max, looking after her wounds which were healing at an astonishing speed. "Could you check on Zack, please? He's been unconscious for two hours now, and so far hasn't shown any signs at all of waking up."

The nurse nodded, and walked over to the gurney that looked decidedly too small under the tall, muscular body of the X5. After a moment of silent examination, she lifted her head again to give Sebastian a worried glance through the barrier of the window. "I can't tell exactly, but something seems to be wrong with him. His temperature has gone up to slightly feverish while his blood-pressure and heart rate have dropped considerably."

Sebastian winced inwardly at hearing about this new complications , being overly aware that, while his staff was excellently educated, they had no idea what to expect with a transgenic who just like Max might have some unknown medical condition. 

**Sim**

Bling walked into the warehouse, pushing Logan's chair before him. He'd thought it prudent to make it obvious whose side he was on before walking into a room filled with X5s; he'd noticed that they could be tetchy if surprised. 

The trainer was more than concerned to find the place apparently empty. He abandoned the chair when he saw the medical area, stepping forwards in concern to check the extent of the bloodstains. Bling became even more anxious when he spotted the remnants of Logan's bloody sweater on the floor nearby. 

In desperation, he yelled out into the echoing space. 

"Hey! Is anyone here? I'm a friend of Max and Logan's; where are you?" 

There was no response. Bling decided to do a thorough search of the building, looking for some clue about where his elusive employer had gone. 

He was still at it when a black SUV roared in and pulled to a jerky stop. A beautiful blond woman climbed out of the driving seat, moving with none of the grace Bling would have expected from an X5. He stayed hidden while she went around the back to help two other women out of the car. 

"What the hell was that thing, Jondy?" Asked the brunette, her voice sounding strangely flat. 

"Search me. Something that knocks out X5s, apparently. Max and Zack are going to kill us when they find out about this." 

"If we ever manage to contact them," added the second blond. "All we know is that they're with a friend of Logan's; and that could be anywhere." 

Bling decided it was time to make his presence known. "I can help with that," he said, stepping out where they could see him, hands up. 

Within seconds Jondy had a weapon leveled on him with deadly accuracy. 

"And who the hell are you?" She demanded.

**Shywriter**

﻿Bling left his hands exactly where they were, open and in view, as he quickly assessed: he was the interloper, he'd stormed their turf. Plus, they were X-5s and one had a gun on him, steadily. His turn to give. "I'm another friend of Logan's – and I assume you're Max's sisters." He'd guessed correctly; he saw a reaction in them as he referred to the women the way Max would, and trusted it would tell them he knew enough to hear him out. "I just left Zack and Max, and can get you to them. But Zack thought Logan would be here..." Bling tried to dial back his worry as he saw that the three didn't look too steady – _that can't be good,_ he breathed to himself.

"He was..." One of them started, looking troubled.

Another drew a breath to admit, "we went in ... there was a group after Logan..."

"The Reds." Bling interrupted, tersely. "I know about them."

The brunette nodded and continued, "Lydecker and Logan had a plan... it didn't work out."

Bling willed his breathing to remain steady, and sought focus. "And?"

"...and they have Logan and Lydecker," she admitted.

"_And_ Krit and Zane," the third X-5 muttered, clearly angry at their failure. "They had something that knocked us out..."

Bling frowned at the thought. "What, a drug of some kind?"

The first woman shook her head, the effect of which caused her a momentary queasiness. "No – sound. There were about ten seconds of incredibly painful noise – or something like a noise – and then ... nothing. We woke up, and ... they were gone."

"With the Reds..." Bling's voice was nearly inaudible, in his effort to keep his emotions in check. _Damn it, Logan, what the hell have you done this time?_ "Any chance you know where they are?"

The blonde's eyes flashed. "Yes, with the Reds; we screwed up, alright?" Her words were flung in her anger, as much at herself as at Bling for pointing out their failure.

"...Syl..." Her sister said in a strangely tired voice. "No time for that – we need to worry about finding them. What do we do now – split up and see if we can find them?"

"Maybe if we get Zack and Max; they can help..."

"Neither of them were in much shape to help when I left them," Bling offered. When the three turned on him accusatively, he continued smoothly, "but Logan's friend Sebastian has some intel on the Reds, too – we can hope it's a place to start."

"What about Max? And Zack; why...?"

Bling paused the moment to gesture with his eyes to his hands, still held out in surrender, and then looked meaningfully at the gun, still too near his chest to be comfortable. Jondy shrugged and lowered it, nodding for him to continue. "Zack transfused Max, and it pretty well knocked him out. Max is doing better, but from what I saw she was banged around quite a bit, took at least one bullet. The blood loss was bad but she was starting to come around before I left."

Syl frowned. "She came around before Zack did?" At Bling's nod, she looked uncomfortably at the others, back at Bling, and to the women again. "Something's wrong, then. Zack shouldn't be that debilitated, transfusing Max; she's smaller than he is and he'd be drowsy for maybe thirty minutes, tops..."

Bling frowned. "He'd been out cold for at least a couple hours by the time I left."

Syl looked to the others. "We have to go see him..."

"And what about Krit and the others?" Jondy demanded.

Bling suggested, "our best bet for finding them is Sebastian – then if he doesn't have any information we just look randomly. While we're there you can check out Zack and maybe tell Sebastian's medical staff how to treat an X-5."

They barely reacted to the confirmation that he knew who they were. One quick nod to the others and the women moved back to their SUV. As they climbed in, the brunette leaned out to ask, "you coming with us or are we following you?"

"I'll drive, you follow." He started to go back to his car, dragging Logan's chair, in hope, back with him.

"Hey." The brunette yelled to him, and he turned. She almost smiled as she asked, "You're Bling, aren't you? Max has mentioned you."

Bling hesitated only moment before he said, "let's get everyone back home where they belong – and we'll all get to know each other. It's probably about time we did."

**Tigrou**

Krit and Zane were still unconcious and so it was Lydeckers task to tumble off his seat to get his hands to Logan's. It took some time for them to get rid of their bonds, but finally they succeeded and untied Krit and Zane just in time for their awakening. 

**Mari**

They left their vehicles in a quiet street some blocks apart from Sebastian's place, careful not to attract any attention to him, and walked the remaining distance in worrying silence.

Feeling her eyes on him, Bling turned to Jondy to his left, who was easily keeping pace with his own hurried gait. He caught her watching him with a look of barely concealed curiosity.

Questioningly Bling raised his eyebrow at her, causing her to blurt out her query with a directness that was nicely refreshing for someone used to Logan's usual clamming up. "So, what is it between Max and your friend, Logan? She claims that he's only a good friend, but I've seen her face when she's talking about him, and Zack has told me how she went back to Seattle just because she felt something was wrong with him. And Zack…" she smirked, "well, I think he's even a bit jealous of their relationship, whatever it is..."

**Lisa**

Bling couldn't help but smile, despite the circumstances. No matter how crazy or dangerous or complicated their lives were, it always kept coming back to the same question. And the same answer.

"Max and Logan are…complicated," Bling explained. "Logan's had a really hard year, and Max, well…no offence or anything, but Max didn't have a very good childhood. Let's just say that they have issues. But they're close, and I don't think there's anything Logan wouldn't do for Max."

"Logan was willing to trade himself to the Reds to give Max time to get away," Jondy told him. That action still confused her, strategically it made no sense at all.

"That sounds like something he would do," Bling answered, shaking his head. "If their lives would slow down for ten minutes, maybe they would be able to see how much they love each other. They'll figure it out someday, if they don't explode first."

**Shywriter**

﻿Upon gaining entrance at the nondescript, unassuming facade that hid Sebastian's astounding compound, Bling led his troop of X-5s into the medical ward he'd left only thirty minutes before to find a cluster of medical personnel huddled around Zack, probing, their worried looks spelling the seriousness of events.

"What's going on?" He asked quickly, voice low.

"His temp suddenly spiked; it's one -oh- three, six right now," one of the techs said, low, as he watched Sebastian's personal physician assessing the prone warrior. "Still nonresponsive, and his breathing is starting to be slightly labored..."

Bling stood back and let the medical staff work, aware that Zack's sisters had not said a word but silently drew closer, watching their brother with pale, worried faces.

In sudden concern, Bling turned back to look at a surprisingly quiet Max. She was awake, and watching, but seeming distant, as if she hadn't registered their appearance yet. Her eyes had taken on a glassiness not there before. Bling moved closer to her as her siblings huddled, worried, over Zack.

"Max..." he began, and lifted a hand to her forehead. As he feared, her skin was overly warm, dampness prickling along her hairline. He frowned; as he touched her Max seemed to come back to the present, and now pushed his hand away.

"I'm fine, Bling, leave it alone..."

Jondy turned suddenly at Max's words and looked first to her, then Bling, demanding, "what's wrong?"

Bling shook his head, putting off her question for the moment and looked up toward Sebastian's window. "Sebastian? You've done blood cultures?"

The disembodied voice immediately came through the speakers, "Yes, Bling. We don't have much yet but it looks bacterial..."

"And his blood's full of it?"

There was a pause this time. "I'm afraid so."

Tinga now turned to the therapist as well, demanding answers. "Bling, you said..."

He nodded to her, then looked back toward the window. "Sebastian, tell your folks running Zack's blood that Max is starting to run a fever. She just got a whole lot of his blood only, what, three hours ago, and it's starting to work on her now too. Maybe it will help isolate the problem..."

"She's going to end up like Zack?" Tinga pressed Bling, her words coming in a quiet hiss.

"No way," Max rasped, her voice sounding more raw than it had, as she pushed to sit. Tinga caught her shoulders and gently pushed her back down.

"Take it easy, baby sister. We're calling the shots now." Tinga tried smiling her comfort to her ailing sister.

"Just hang tight, Max; we'll get this figured out," Bling soothed. Jondy shot him an accusative look, and almost lost it when she saw on Bling's face that he had no idea whether or not he believed it himself...

**Sim**

"What…what happened?" Asked Zane groggily, as he struggled to sit up, using his brother's nearly conscious body for support. Krit groaned in response and began to stir. 

"The Reds have developed an anti- transgenic weapon," said Lydecker, kneeling beside them and reaching out to take Zane's pulse. The X5 batted his hand away with a glare, and looked towards Logan. 

"Are you OK, man?" he asked. Logan shrugged his good shoulder. 

"As well as I was before. It was some kind of intense sound wave that doesn't affect anyone without enhanced hearing; a perfect weapon against you guys. I wonder why they didn't use it on Max." 

"Maybe they did, but she got away," managed Krit, pushing himself up onto his elbows. "Where are Syl and the others?" 

"Probably got knocked out by the device but were too well concealed to be picked up by the Reds," suggested Logan. 

"Ugh; I feel like I've been hit by a cement truck," said Zane. 

"Sedatives," said Lydecker briskly. "Enough to knock out an elephant, I should think, to keep the pair of you down so long." 

"Where are we?" asked Zane, rubbing his head. 

"Back of a truck, being transported," replied Logan. "We've only just managed to get rid of all the restraints." 

"We have only two tactical advantages," said Lydecker. "Mr Cale tricked them into not searching him thoroughly, so we have a weapon, and in order to get us out the Reds must open that door." 

"The old element of surprise, huh," said Krit. "Oldest trick in the book." 

"But it's not going to win the fight," said Logan. "We have one gun and fifteen bullets between us; you two aren't in any shape to be trying to take on Reds and neither am I. We need a plan."

**Lisa**

"Are you a good shot?" Zane asked Logan.

"I'm alright," Logan answered. He was actually a very accurate shot, but Logan knew that he didn't measure up to x-5 standards.

"Better give me the weapon, Son," Lydecker suggested in a patronizing tone that grated on Logan's nerves. "I'm slightly better than 'alright.'" Everyone in the truck could tell that the last thing in the world Logan wanted to do was to put their only weapon into Lydecker's hands, but they didn't have many options left, and time was running out. Lydecker knew how to handle a weapon, his kids knew that first hand. The x-5s didn't blame Logan for not trusting Lydecker; _they_ didn't trust him much either, but they had an immediate threat to worry about first, and Lydecker was a damn good shot. Upon seeing Zane's subtle nod of understanding and encouragement, Logan turned the gun over to Lydedcker, who tucked it into his belt.

"Do we know our destination?" Zane asked.

"Negative," responded Lydecker. "Assume we're on our way to another holding facility or transport back to South Africa. Either way, they'll have reinforcements and gain the strategic advantage. We don't want to reach their destination if we can prevent it."

The four men spent precious minutes trying to come up with a plan to escape. They threw out ideas for stopping the truck, rejected plans for overpowering the Reds, and found loopholes in each other's ideas for escape.

All their brilliant planning stilled when they felt the vehicle slow to a halt. When they felt the gears shifting to park, Krit immediately took position on the side of the door. He motioned for Zane to take position on the other side while he quietly hissed directions for Logan to move back away from the door, behind Lydecker.

"So much for careful planning," Logan thought to himself as he backed into a corner and the truck door started to slide open.

**Mari**

Seeing that Max was taken care of and still well enough to grumpily fight the nurse's urging to make her lie down, Bling let his gaze wander through the room, now crowded with Sebastian's staff, the four X5 and his own bulky figure. His look fell on Jondy who at the sight of two of her siblings ill from an unknown source had lost quite a lot of her former tough soldier stance, actually now seemed much more like one of the many distressed family members Blind had seen in the hospital over the years. She was absentmindedly rubbing her head, apparently still not completely comfortable after the attack to her sensitive ear.

Her ear and that sound...

With an atypically jerking move Bling straightened, suddenly all business. Determinedly he left the room for Sebastian's command Central where he uttered his idea in hopeful expectation: "You know, this sound device knocking out Max's siblings gave me an idea… Is there any possibility you and your guys could come up with something similar for the Reds, some kind of remote control version of the defibrillator deactivating the implant in Max's head? 

**Sim**

The first Red through the door was met by a well-aimed bullet through the center of his forehead. Lydecker readjusted his aim and hit the second in the neck, then double-tapped the third in the heart. That was all he had time for. 

One of the surviving Reds fired a Tazer into the truck and the Colonel went down, shaking uncontrollably, his twitching finger involuntarily firing into the wall as he did so. 

Krit and Zane jumped out from behind the doors to attack the next wave while Logan threw himself to the ground, landing on his damaged shoulder in a blinding wave of agony. He stretched forwards and just managed to snag his gun from Lydecker's nerveless hand. Lying on his belly on the ground Logan brought the weapon to bear on Krit and Zane's opponents; the pair were outnumbered and losing badly to the South African supersoldiers. Even as he took aim, Logan saw Krit taken in a headlock by a huge Red, choking the life out of him. 

It was a shot in a million. The bullet passed cleanly through the Red's ear and out the other side, wounding another who was fighting Zane directly behind him. 

Then, in the background, Anderson withdrew his secret weapon again and pressed the button. 

Both X5s collapsed, clutching at their ears, leaving Logan to continue the fight alone.  
He had ten bullets left, and there were twelve Reds and five handlers outside the truck.


	7. Chapter 7

**Blue**

Logan was not a chicken-hearted person. He hadn't been afraid to deal with the Reds in order to protect Max, and he wasn't one to give up easily. But he wasn't insane as well, and he knew when a fight was lost. As soon as Krit and Zane dropped to the ground, he loosened his grip on the gun and it slipped through his fingers. He closed his eyes for a split second, then winced inwardly when the devise made a loud clattering noise as it met the ground.

_Damn_, thought Logan, _that didn't went well. If I ever get out of this alive, Max is so gonna kick my ass._

The tension let the blood freeze in his veins. Logan lay still on his belly, upper body lifted from the ground, his elbows supporting the weight. The palms of his hands were now directed into the enemy's direction in a gesture of surrender. His green eyes got blank as he met Anderson's furious stare. There wasn't much he could do to improve his situation, just hope … hope that they didn't kill him right on the spot ... hope that his guess was really right and that they needed him alive.

Anderson still hadn't said or done anything. He just stood between two armed Reds a few feet away from the SUV, the small weapon that had knocked out the X5's so uncompromisingly still in his raised hand. The color of Anderson's face changed slowly from red to white, while his upper lip curled over his teeth in undamped anger.

Logan held his breath. He knew his life was hanging by a thread … a rather thin thread.  
His shoulder protested wildly against this uncomfortable position, but Logan didn't dare move. Seconds that felt like hours ticked by, until Anderson finally ordered: "I want them secured," he hissed. "And this time non of them is going to get free."

A few hand singnals caused Anderson's men to hurry over to the X5's while two of the handlers were busy to secure the still unconscious Colonel. Anderson himself jumped into the truck to get Logan's gun. He kneeled down in front of Logan and grabbed the collar of his shirt. "You are going to regret to have double-crossed me, Cale," he snarled. "And you're going to regret it badly." 

**Lisa**

"A portable device that would short out the neurological implant? Interesting." Sebastian's eyes lit up as he contemplated the logistics of this new invention. "In theory, we could create a hand-held transmitter that would emit an electro-magnetic pulse. It should disable every Red Series soldier within range. But it could only be used once, and whoever set it off would have to be in close proximity to the targets."

"Could your people assemble something like that?" asked Bling.

"Not here," Sebastian responded, turning to his computer, "but I know someone who can."

**Sim**

Logan had been roughly dragged from the van by one of the Reds. He did his best to look around; and was stunned when he recognized the area. It was Wharton airfield, the same place Gerhard Bronck had held him. 

Déjà vu, he thought ironically, then winced as his unfeeling legs were dragged over a particularly rough patch of concrete. Bling was going to give him hell for this. The Red pulled him into the main hangar and then tossed him bodily into a small room, which had obviously once been an office. There were still chairs, desks, paperwork and an ancient, trashed computer in there. 

The Red placed a single kick into Logan's gut before he left, making him curl up in agony. 

"They were my brothers," he grunted. "If I can, I will kill you." He strode out, leaving Logan a helpless ball of tortured muscle on the floor. 

A few minutes later, Anderson strode into the room, a Red guard at his heels. 

"Enjoying your stay, Mr Cale?" He asked brightly. 

"'S not exactly the Ritz, Anderson," Logan managed. 

"But better than you can expect from Mr Sonrisa, I think. He was delighted when I informed him that we had you. He's on his way over right now, in fact." 

"What did you do with the others?" 

"They're sleeping, ready to be transported to my country to begin their new lives.

And talking of new lives…" Anderson produced Lydecker's cell phone from his pocket. "I think it's about time you called your little girlfriend, don't you?" 

"I don't have a girlfriend," stated Logan, even as his insides turned to ice. 

"Come, now, Mr Cale; we know you have a very deep and meaningful relationship with an X5. Max, I believe she calls herself now? All you have to do is phone her and tell her where you are. I'm sure she'll be more than willing to come rescue you; and when she does…" Anderson patted his pocket. "My little toy here will ensure she gets a vacation as well." 

"No," said Logan firmly. "I won't do it." 

"No?" He spoke to the guard, eyes never leaving Logan's. "You, go and fetch one of the transgenics. We'll see if his life means enough to Mr Cale to convince him to make the call. After all, _Max_ is worth far more to us than a simple X5." 

There was nothing Logan could do. Wordlessly, he held out his hand for the phone.

**Shywriter**

﻿"Max ... it's me. Look, I need your help with something..."

At Logan's words, Anderson made a stab for the phone, but Logan pulled it away and down, covering it quickly before mouthing, almost silently, "X-5 ears – she'll hear it's not only me on the line. Do you want her here or not?" When Anderson wavered, Logan stared him down for the moment, seeing that the greed in the man would not let him risk the opportunity to get such a valuable prize. 

_Good. _

Watching for only another moment before lifting the phone again, Logan went on, "no, sorry, Max; I'm fine." He was taking a gamble but didn't know how else to play it. He took a breath and plunged ahead, "I've found some evidence on Bronck – good enough that the authorities will put him away for good this time." _Any chance Anderson knows who Bronck is, and that he's already been sent to the state penitentiary for a couple decades?_ He'd find out what Anderson knew soon enough... "Wharton Airfield– have you ever been here?" Logan was adding every little thing he could think of to make clear that the message was fake, that someone was listening – but that they wanted Max out there, where the trap could be sprung. "Okay, listen – it's out past the Redstone place, about 10 miles ... you can go the back way and turn at that bar, the Moulin Rouge ..." Logan tried to watch Anderson's eyes for any sign that he was catching the invented references, and decided to go for broke. "There's a large red sign at the highway, pointing the way into the field..." At the slight question he now saw, Logan backed off. "As soon as you can get here, Max..." He cut the call and handed the phone back. "Satisfied?"

"I promise you, Mr. Cale, if you've tried again to get in my way by warning her ..."

"You'll what, kill me?" Logan snorted, far more cockily than he felt. "I assume it's what you have in mind anyway..."

"Not necessarily. You're a very valuable commodity to us as well."

Logan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. Between the X-5s in there and your squad of implants, you can really use my help."

Anderson smiled slowly, and lifted an eyebrow, chilling Logan's hopes. "Oh, you shouldn't be surprised at just how much you have to offer."

Across town, Sebastian looked upto see Bling standing silent, first in question, then with a frown drawing across his brow. The therapist said nothing but merely listened, before slowly lowering the phone and snapping it shut. He looked over at Sebastian, and said quietly. "The Reds have Logan – they're out at Wharton Airfield and he's bait to lure in Max..."

Sebastian merely looked back to his connection, attempting to contact his source for the transmitter.

Bling looked out at the treatment room, where Max lay back, fighting the infection that seemed to still have Zack in its clutches, and wondered if Max would end up like Zack. There was no way they could risk her against the Reds in that condition...

_...but her sisters...? _

Bling turned back to Sebastian. "Let me know as soon as you know something about the transmitter, alright? I need to see if we can whip up a Max clone for a mission..."

**Lisa**

Bling walked back towards the sickroom and stood in the doorway. He caught Syl's eye and motioned for her to join him in the hallway. After closing the door, Bling nodded towards Max and Zack through the window and asked, "Any changes in either of them?"

"The Cipro seems to be kicking in, finally," she answered, unable to hide the relief in her voice. "Zack might wake up soon; his fever is breaking. And Max is getting really short-tempered, which must mean she's feeling better. What about in there?" she asked with a nod towards Sebastian's workroom, "Anything new?"

"I just got a phone call from Logan," Bling explained tensely. "The Reds have him at an airbase outside of town, and they're expecting Max to come and rescue him."

"Is he alright? What about the others?" she demanded.

"I don't know about them. I'm sorry. I think Logan is safe for the time being; they want Max. There is some good news," he went on, "Sebastian thinks he may be able to get a device that would knock-out the Red's implants. A mini-pulse. He said it would have to be activated at close range, but if one of you could get in, you could take a whole room full of them out at once."

"So the Reds are waiting to nab Max when she goes in for Logan. Instead, one of us goes in for Max and knocks the Reds out with an EMP. We get Logan out and find the others. I think that could work," Sly said, nodding her approval at the plan.

Bling asked, "So who goes in pretending to be Max?"

"I do," said a tired and angry voice from the doorway. "Some people say I look just like her." Max's expression was resentful from being left out of the plan and defiant because she knew they would object, but mostly it was contemptuous at the notion that a thin wall and sheet of glass could possibly keep her from hearing every word that they had been saying.

"Max," Bling tried to explain to her yet again, "You're in no shape to take on the Reds. You need to rest and let yourself heal."

"What I need to do is get to Logan and help find my brothers and kick some Red ass once and for all," Max said with a ferocious glare. "But don't worry," she assured him with a glance at her fellow transgenics, "I won't be doing it alone."

**Sim**

Logan had struggled up into a sitting position, leaning back against the desk, desperately trying to figure out a way to help Max beat the Reds. If she was hurt any more protecting his sorry ass Logan didn't know how he could live with himself; she and her siblings were all in this situation only because of him. Any captures, deaths or injuries would be entirely his fault. 

Ideas rushed through his fertile mind, each crazier than the last. None of them could overcome Anderson's new weapon. 

It was over an hour before the door opened again. Four people stepped in; one Red, Anderson, Manuel Sonrisa and someone he'd never thought he'd see again. 

"Alina?" he said in shock. 

"Hello, Logan," said Alina Herrero, smirking as she draped an arm around Sonrisa's waist. "Long time no see." 

**Lisa  
**

"Is this the man, baby? You're sure?"

"Yes, Manuel, this is him," answered Alaina. "He can get you exactly what you want."

"These gentlemen have kindly agreed to sell you to me after they are through with you, Mr. Cale," Sonrisa said, turning dismissive eyes to Logan, letting him know that his life wasn't that valuable to anyone. "They say you know where Eyes Only is; you're going to help us find him."

"Sorry, he doesn't take requests for appointments anymore," Logan said, glaring at Alina. "Turns out he had a bad experience with that once."

"Don't worry. I don't want to talk to him, I just want to kill him."

**Mari**

The staring contest between Max and Bling - both unused to someone not yielding their angry glare or firm resoluteness - was interrupted by one of Sebastian's staff, bringing good news.

"Sebastian's guy thinks he'll have the mini-pulse device ready in about half an hour. He will have someone deliver it"

Bling let his gaze sink down onto the floor, trying to merge this new option into a plan that held the less possible danger for everyone. He was in a dilemma, a conflict of loyalties of protecting only one of two close friends. He didn't want to endanger Max… but it was the only way to help Logan. In all likelihood the Reds knew exactly how Max looked like, so, while sending in one of her sister as a double was safest for her, it could easily mean death to Logan. One way or the other, he would bring harm to someone.

Finally he came to a decision, and, as he looked up again, realized that the others had waited for him to speak. "Okay, Max, you can come with us. But you stay in the car, way out of their reach. We only show you once and demand to see Logan first. Then we ignite the pulse, probably creating some confusion along with disabling their superpowers." Turning to the other X4, he added, "I guess you and your brothers should be able to take them out, then?"

A sharp military nod from both, softened by their worried glances on Max's pale figure, inconspicuously leaning onto the doorframe for support.

They all knew how risky their plan was, but neither dared to speak it out aloud. 

**Shywriter**

﻿Logan rolled his eyes. "Get in line," he snorted. "You and every other player in the city -- _and_ every wannabe."

"Maybe, Mr. Cale, but I mean to do it." Ignoring Logan, Edgar Sonrisa's baby brother preened for Alina, pulling her closer with the arm he'd draped around her, "when you tell us where we can find him."

"I don't have a clue." Logan sat back. _Now what?_ he wondered. He couldn't help but remember a similar grilling he'd had in this same place, courtesy of Gerhardt Bronck. But Manuel Sonrisa struck him as being far less bright than his brother– or Bronck.

"You'd better get one," Sonrisa growled, playing tough for Alina. "If you want your friends to walk out of here alive."

Logan's eyes narrowed. _So all this guy's ever had going for him was some money and a smarter brother? He honestly thinks I'm going to fall for some vague promise of survival for any of us? Hasn't it occurred to him that he has little hope of being around himself, once Anderson had no use for him?_ "Do you have any idea how many death threats he's had, how many times people have tried to get to him? He's made dozens of hacks about people who would have no hesitation in killing him if he were found. Before I got involved – probably after one of his very first hacks – he went underground and no one knows where to find him. That way, no one can spill it."

Sonrisa's eyes darkened in anger as he stared at Logan, his expression indicating that this impasse hadn't ever occurred to him. Anderson had been watching the two and, his eyes half closing as he drew a long-suffering breath, said slowly and pointedly to Sonrisa, "Cale is on the inside with Eyes Only. He's lying."

Sonrisa blinked at Anderson for the moment it took him to process the thought, before exploding toward Logan, "son of a bitch!" He kicked Logan once, smartly, his polished shoe hooking up under Logan's ribs, making Logan momentarily see stars as his side burned and his shoulder screamed its agony. "How the hell can you be on the inside with him and not know where to find him?"

Logan struggled to draw a breath against the pain, fighting to sit up again as he had been, but stubbornly insisted, "if I have something ... I leave a signal, like my car parked at the curb outside my building. I get a call or a note where to go..."

"Oh yeah? Like where?" Sonrisa reacted.

Anderson interrupted, smoothly, "and when, the last time?"

Logan blinked up at them, "At the Sector Five police station, about ... ten days ago."

Sonrisa bellowed, "That's bullsh..." As he drew back his foot to kick Logan again, Anderson grabbed his arm to stop him, and Manuel turned on him in his rage. "Eyes Only has pissed off the police just like he's pissed off everyone else. The cops would never..."

Anderson was looking back at Logan, weighing what he'd heard so far. He looked skeptical, but looked even more contemptuous of – and bored with – Sonrisa's pathetic vendetta. Never loosening his grip on the man's arm, Anderson murmured under his breath, almost missed by Logan, "idiot..." He caught the eye of a couple of his soldiers, who neared the three of them, and hissed to Sonrisa, low, "he doesn't know where to find Eyes Only."

Sonrisa glanced at the soldiers who glared back at the would-be gangster, but then he rallied to shrug out of Anderson's grip. Still trying to prove how tough he was, Manuel blustered, "then how do you suggest we find Eyes Only?"

Anderson's slow, cold smile was turned back toward Logan, who, despite his determination to hang to any hope that presented itself, felt a chill of dread prickle across the back of his neck. "Piece o' cake..." Anderson leered...


	8. Chapter 8

**Sim**

Max was preparing herself for battle, donning her black burglar outfit and psyching herself up for the mission. Jondy stuck her head round the door of the bathroom where she was changing. 

"Hey, Maxie," she said. "You gonna be OK?" 

"I'm fine," her sister replied offhandedly. "It's the guys you should be worrying about; they're the weaker sex." Her voice cracked a little at the end. 

"He really means a lot to you, doesn't he," said Jondy thoughtfully. 

"Who?" 

"Logan, of course." 

"He's been a good friend." 

"A friend? Max, the guy was prepared to give his own life to keep you safe. Don't even try to pull that 'we're just friends' crap with me." 

"It's true. Logan's a great guy, Jon, but we're just not like that." 

"You mean as in you're not like that yet, or you don't think he's interested, or you're not interested?" 

"Look, it's complicated, alright? I don't have time to explain it to you in the middle of a mission." Max pushed past her sister on her way out. 

"Does that mean you'll explain it after the mission?" Jondy called after her.

**Lisa**

Max, Jondy, Syl, and Tinga sat around Zack's hospital bed looking over a printout of Warton AFB and planning a strategy that would bring all of their people home alive. The four women were outfitted for action and a portable mini EMP was tucked securely in Max's vest pocket, ready for its one shot miracle.

"So that's it," Jondy declared. "Syl goes into the center with Max who knocks out as many Reds as she can with the EMP at the most strategically advantageous opportunity. I'm armed and concealed behind this tower, providing cover for both of you and hand to hand back-up if it comes to that, and Tinga goes in through this entrance to find Krit and Zane."

Zack interrupted to emphasize, "Remember that this is primarily a rescue mission. Getting Krit and Zane out safely is top priority."

"And _Logan_," Max reminded him forcefully.

As a quiet afterthought, he added, "Yeah. And Logan."

"And the Colonel?" Tinga asked with an amused smirk.

"Whatever," he conceded, feeling that the objective was already going off track. He glared at his team and said with as much assertiveness as he could muster in his weakened state, "_I_ should be leading this mission."

"You can't even lead your way out of bed," Jondy reminded him. "You can barely keep your eyes open, and your hands are still shaking." In a softer voice, she added, "Go back to sleep, Big Brother. We'll be back with the others before you know it."

"And try not to piss off the guy that owns this place too badly while we're gone," Syl reminded him, anticipating his behavior after being left behind. "Remember that he saved your life."

They ran a test with their communication devices to make sure they all had radio contact, and three of them checked over their weapons and ammunition supply. Then four young women climbed into a black SUV and headed out towards the airfield to rescue their friends and try to take down the only force they had ever encountered that was stronger than they were. 

**Shywriter**

﻿Bling watched the women go, his fists on his hips, feeling frustrated that they had so blatantly written him out of their plans. Oh, they'd been polite enough about it, but clearly had no use for someone revved up only by training and practice, and not by genetic predisposition. _Logan's in there and in danger. I ought to be there, too_, he stewed. _I might be of some help, no matter what they think. They just might need someone around who wouldn't succumb to whatever device they have out there to knock out soldiers with bat-like hearing..._

"What were you?" Zack's voice, behind him, penetrated Bling's thoughts, and he turned toward the still-pale face in the bed.

"Sorry?" he asked, not getting it.

"What were you? Marines?"

"Navy SEAL." Understanding the question, Bling answered, still distracted enough that he didn't bother wondering why Zack asked.

"Right," Zack nodded. He seemed to consider the man before him for another moment, then observed, "they'll look after Logan too, you know. Especially with Max there to make them."

Bling shook his head, his frustration showing. "I know that; they'll do whatever they can, but the Reds are a match for them. This one won't be so easy, not with as many Reds as they seem to have here – or with how many probably disabled hostages they have. I could have been there as back-up, just in case..."

"I know just how you feel."

Suddenly, Bling heard the thoughts behind Zack's words, and he looked closer at the X-5 who now sat up in his bed, drawing a deep breath, stretching a little. Bling's eyes narrowed and he offered, "you were damn near unconscious only thirty minutes ago."

"I _am_ an X-5." Zack said pointedly. "You've known Max long enough to know what that means."

Bling wavered. After a moment, he tried, "if you were a patient of mine, I'd tell you were crazy and tie you to that bed."

For the first time ever, Bling saw what might have passed for a smile on the younger man's face. "Then we're lucky I'm not your patient, aren't we?"

Pausing only a moment to consider Zack's intentions, Bling asked, "So, we just sit in the car and monitor, go in only if something goes off-mission?"

"Unless we come up with a better idea on the way."

A slow smile starting on his own face, the familiar mission-anticipation starting to energize him into action, Bling called up to Sebastian for another set of comms and asked that they be keyed into the frequencies used by Max and the others. Turning to watch the X-5 as he gingerly got out of bed, reaching for his clothes folded a nearby chair, Bling looked at his new 'team-mate' and offered, "Zack... I'm starting to think that you just might be alright after all."

**Blue**

Krit felt that his body finally drifted back to consciousness, very slowly. He still wasn't able to move, and it seemed to take forever until he really regained control of his thoughts again. Gray fog and icy coldness were gradually pushed out of his mind, and the frozen lump in the pit of his stomach melted.

**He wasn't at Manticore … and he wasn't nine anymore. Manticore was gone, burnt to the ground. Good.**

A first charge of adrenaline rushed through his body.

The million mollar question was – why were his hands secured behind his back and his feet bound together? And most importantly – where was he?

Krit tried carefully to shift his weight, he tried to move his fingers, his toes – NOTHING. There even was duct tape over his mouth.

_Damn they've done a thorough job_, he realized. _Wonder what happened._

It took some time until shreds of memory came back, flowing slowly through his brain: _… Lydecker … his siblings … planning an attack … facing a group of "Reds" … Anderson's malicious grin as he held a small box in one hand … an awful, piercing noise penetrating his mind …  
_  
A new wave of pain shot through his head at the mere thought of the incident. And it wasn't just physical pain. They were X5's – stronger and faster than any normal human being, and they were perfectly trained for this kind of situation, yet, it had been a piece of cake for Anderson to knock them out.  
_Damn. It just sucked to be an X5._

He didn't dwell on injustice of life for too long and soon started to analyze his options, training taking over. There wasn't much he could do at the moment. His highly sensitive hearing told him he was alone in the room. But Jondy, Syl and Tinga were out there somewhere and would hopefully come to their rescue with as much reinforcement as they could gather. Keeping his captors from sedating him again seemed the only thing that made sense at the moment.

_Great … just great_, Krit thought.

He wasn't the most patient person on earth. He liked to move, loved to go fast on his bike and here he was, playing "unconscious". The dark haired man tried carefully to find a comfortable position – not an easy task being wrapped up like a mummy. He slowed his breathing down to an appropriate rate, relaxed every muscle of his hurting body as well as he could.  
Before emptiness overtook his senses, one single thought crossed his mind again:  
**Being an X5 just sucked.**

**Lisa**

Max sat in the back of the speeding car and stared out the window. By now it was many hours past curfew, and the dark, wet streets were deserted. She tried to stay focused on the plan, but her mind kept wandering.

Part of the problem was that the plan sucked. She knew that. It was the best that five x-5 brains could do with almost no time and even less options, but that didn't change the fact that it was a crappy plan. There were too many things that could go wrong, too many variables, and too much at stake.

She kept remembering what Jondy had told her about Logan's willingness to sacrifice himself just to give her time to run. That sounded just like the sort of stupid thing he would do. Even if he knew the Reds had no intention of honoring their half of the deal, he still would have turned himself over and tried to buy her some time. _Stupid_.

Max stared blankly at the street lights and illuminated signs that broke up the pattern of darkness that was rushing past the window, and desperately raked her mind for a better option. There had to be something, anything, that they had overlooked.

But the only thought she could focus on was that if something happened to Logan, she would never forgive herself. 

**Mari**

Half an hour later Max followed her sisters through the hallways of one of the airfield's buildings, escorted by Anderson, a stranger and several Reds. He had abided to their wish to see Logan without much resistance, becoming careless in the knowledge that soon another X5 would be his.

Max owed the fact that she was here at all, and not out there in the car, waiting for the others to do all the work, to her stubborn arguing with her sisters . She had gone from proclaiming her plan in the most resolute tone she could find to sensible reasoning that the Reds would never agree to her staying in the car, that it would endanger Logan and their brothers. Whatever Sebastian's staff had put into her had already kicked in with amazing efficiency, even though not yet giving her back full X5 strength. It had given Max the opportunity to point out that in their situation they simply needed every possible pair of hands, that even in her weakened state she was an extraordinarily well-trained soldier. Finally, after some heated back and forth, her sisters had agreed grudgingly, knowing that except for the useless option of one of them babysitting Max, they couldn't hold her back.

As Max inconspicuously took in her surroundings, storing away everything she saw for future use, her gaze fell on Alina Herrero, now clothed in exclusive clothes that must have cost a little fortune. The money she had gotten for betraying her father. Max couldn't hold herself back from giving the other woman a disgusted, hateful glare at the memory of how the other woman had lured her and Logan into helping her kill Logan's old friend.

Then she saw Logan. All her instinct, everything she'd learned at Manticore told Max that her gaze wasn't allowed to linger on him, that she shouldn't give him more than a cursory look.

But she just couldn't look away. 

He was sitting against one wall, one arm folded awkwardly on his chest, legs splayed out in front of him in a way indicating that he had been dragged there violently. He faintly smiled at her, a typically altruistic gesture to wordlessly assure her that he was fine. It only made her feel even guiltier for having pulled him into this.

In this moment the soldier, the survivor in Max kicked in. She had pulled Logan into this mess – and she was going to get him out. Him, herself and her siblings … and maybe even Lydecker. 

They had agreed to set of the mini-pulse as soon as they were in and had an overview of the situation, hoping for the tactical advantage of a surprise attack. And that was what Max was going to do now. With a short sideway glance to Jondy, she pressed the trigger on the little device in her pocket, anxiously waiting for it to work. 

The effect was astonishing. All of the bulky reds surrounding her crumpled to the ground, hands clutching their necks and eyes rolling upwards as if in a seizure before they passed out, maybe from pain, maybe from an overload of erroneous messages to their nervous systems. It was more than they could have wished for.

But Max didn't have any time to think about this more than lucky outcome. She was going to take advantage of the situation. 

**Shywriter**

﻿It was Jondy who first grabbed Anderson; Tinga went after Sonrisa, who started yelling angrily the moment she first touched him. With that, Max turned immediately to Logan, who was struggling to push himself up a little straighter with Max there. Max winced as she came to his side, seeing that he'd been through quite a battering since she'd last seen him: he was scraped and bloodied, bruises and welts rising, his clothing torn – and clearly his shoulder had been injured pretty severely, from the way he held it.

But she didn't have time to get a word out before he started in. "Max, you've got to get away from here ... Jondy –" he called past Max, "Anderson's got something in his pocket, I think it's the device that dropped you all before..." Seeing that Jondy had Anderson in hand, he turned back to Max, insisting, "Max, listen, get out of here now. Who knows what happened to those goons, but ..."

"_I_ do." Max knelt by his side, trying to assess his injuries – he had to be moved, and soon, but he wasn't in much shape to help and his chair didn't seem to be anywhere around. As she spoke, her eyes darted around the room for something which might do, a desk chair, maybe, as she mentally replayed her trip inside, wondering if she'd seen anything which might serve as a way to get Logan safely moved out without hurting him more. "Sebastian rigged up a homemade Pulse remote that fried out their implants the way you did mine, with the paddles ..."

Logan wavered only a moment before he stubbornly pressed on, "but you don't know how long they'll be out, or if the implant was completely killed or only phased out for a short time. Please, Max, they want _you_. Tinga and Jondy can stay and help us get out of here but you have to get away..." He shifted his weight again to his good arm and tried to pull up a bit more, but with every movement his shoulder and ribs shot bolts of pain through him.

Seeing his grimace and the sweat that broke out along his brow as he tried to move, Max ignored his warnings and urged, "Logan, your shoulder ... what else have they done? Do you have any other injuries we need to be careful of?"

Logan shook his head, "Max, I'm alright here, for now. Just go. They don't care about me or the others, and if those hulks wake up ... or if there are more, on the way... _Please_." His green eyes begged, looking at her with a mixture of helplessness and fear for her she'd never seen before.

As she looked at him, he saw a sudden shift in her expression, and she almost smiled for a moment. She stood and said, "Fine, I'll go." She gestured in a few quick hand signals to her sisters, then sprinted off, back the way they'd come in. Logan slumped against the wall, the pain washing over him with sufficient insistence that he felt his consciousness starting to slip away again. _At least Max got away while there was time_, he sighed. He wanted to tell Tinga and Jondy that Lydecker, Zane and Krit were there somewhere too, but he couldn't find the energy. _They probably know that, already_, he rationalized...

He was barely aware of the others now, yelling around him – Sonrisa, still; Max's sisters barking orders and making plans. But around the voices a new sound came, a creaking sound of dirty ball bearings, a rolling sound on the concrete that came closer and closer to where he still lay tossed on the floor. Struggling to open an eye, Logan looked up to see a smug-looking Max with a five foot long wooden platform dolly.

"It's not exactly a standard ambulance gurney, but what do you expect at a airfield?" Max knelt back down at his side, patting the dolly's sturdy surface, about foot off the floor. "Think you could take it if I slide you up on this thing?"

Logan shook his head, "Max–"

"Look, if you want me to get out of here you'd better just give in, 'cos I'm not going without you. The faster you suck it up & deal, the faster we're going."

His long-suffering look lasted only another moment before he sighed, and without speaking, reached his good arm toward her.

As Max shifted to try to gently move Logan onto the dolly, her sisters glanced at each other, each seeing clearly that their baby sister thought of this man as much more than just another friend. And so between their own captives and their sister's love life, neither of them noticed the shadow cross the entry and a woman's form slip soundlessly into the room...


	9. Chapter 9

**Lisa**

Refro silently motioned for her companions to fall back, and they crept away, careful not to draw the attention of the three x-5s who were regrouping after their battle. When they were a safe distance away and her armed escorts were watching the exits, she turned to her associate and quietly said, "Well, well. We came to buy the sonic disruptor, and instead we find Deck's missing kids. Put everyone on high alert, close off the roads and surround the building. I want those x-5s: captured if possible, killed if not, but nobody gets away. Understand? And find that sonic disabler – I want it!"

Renfro waited while the commander contacted his team leaders and coordinated the upcoming siege, a triumphant smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. A device that could disable a squad of x-series and still fit on your pocket was quite a prize, but it was nothing compared to apprehending three of those '09ers, especially the ones that had dealt such a blow to Manticore's main operations. And she knew that where those kids were, Lydecker wouldn't be far behind, and she couldn't wait to see _him_ again.

**Lisa**

Tinga crept silently down a long hallway, her weapon drawn and her senses on high alert as she searched for her brothers. She had disarmed and disabled a South African soldier, thankfully not Red series, after she has separated from the others, but she hadn't encountered any other resistance.

She peered inside a room and saw a seemingly unconscious figure lying on the floor. "Krit," she whispered fiercely as she pulled the knife from her boot to cut through his restraints. "Are you OK? Can you walk?"

Krit's voice was tired but alert as he answered, "I have a terrible headache, my ears are ringing, I've decided my life sucks, and I'll crawl if I have to. Just get me the hell out of here." He allowed his sister to help him up and support him until he was sure of his balance. Once he was sure he could stand, he decided he had seen as much of that room as he wanted to and suggested they leave. Quickly.

Zane was found in a similar position in the adjoining room. As they cut away his bonds, he asked, "The others? What's the Sit Rep?"

"Max went in with Syl to try to get her friend out and take down some Reds, and Jondy's backing them up. They have a miniature electromagnetic pulse that's supposed to turn off the Reds' implants, God only knows if it'll work, and I drew the short straw so I'm here for you two. Any idea where the colonel is?"

Krit shook his head no but Zane answered, "He's in the supply closet at the end of the hall. I heard the handler giving orders. They wanted us out of sight until transport comes to take us away."

"Well, I guess we should go rescue the colonel," Krit suggested. There was only an infinitesimal hesitation before the others agreed.

The hallway was still quiet, still deserted. Those x-5s didn't believe in luck, they were wary and suspicious of the calm. "This isn't right," Zane whispered, "there should be guards, something…"

They efficiently broke the lock on the closet door to find Colonel Lydecker tied to an office chair that had been crammed into the small space. "I knew you kids would find a way," Lydecker said, his face glowing with pride.

"Yes, Sir. Your rescue was our top priority," Tinga answered, putting such excessive, earnest sincerity into her voice to make it obvious to everyone that she was lying. As she cut his bonds away, she said, "There was no sentry; I don't hear any vehicles moving outside… Something just isn't right here. We have to go check on the others."

The made it almost ten feet down the hallway before the power went out. 

**Shywriter**

... suddenly, the perimeter lights as well as the small, dirty pools of light in the hangar visible from the road went dark, throwing Wharton Airfield into virtual darkness, emergency generators long ago scavenged for metal and parts... and Bling moved the car, lights off, forward, in toward the hangar bay...

_Fifteen minutes earlier:_

Bling and Zack had driven in silence, mostly, the tense quiet punctuated only by the occasional, clipped commands from Zack, grumbling and clearly displeased to be going in without more than a good guess at who was there and what they'd be facing. Bling finally tried cutting the tension a little. "I thought Manticore taught you all to kick back, you know – read the signs? Go with the flow?"

"Is that what they taught you in the SEALs?" Zack clipped.

"No, but then, I'm a mere mortal. Max says she always just makes it up as she goes along."

The derisive snort from the passenger seat was immediate. "She didn't get that from Manticore."

"No, but seeing as she graduated to the outside world when she was only -- what, nine? – I suspect it's what's gotten her though this far." His opportunity to speculate about Zack doing the same thing was cut short as they neared the airfield, and his voice settled into a more professional mode. "Front gate is up about a quarter mile. The last couple hundred yards won't have cover like this-- it's all open. No back entrance, as far as I know..."

"Slow down–" Zack ordered, scanning the area, "go on down the road, to the end of the tree line."

Both men were on alert, scanning the grounds for some sign of movement or life. There were vehicles clustered near the central hangar, but apparently empty, and no immediate sign of anyone stirring nearby.

"That's the SUV Max and the others drove here," Bling pointed out. "And that grey truck is like the one the Reds were in, last time they were in town..."

"Stop!" Zack stared, hard, at the cluster of vehicles across the airfield, and swore, "damn it, I knew Lydecker couldn't be trusted – Manticore's there, too."

"Soldiers?" Bling had seen only the smallest movement just then around the two black SUVs standing a bit off from the other vehicles, unable to see much of them as they were largely hidden from view by the other vehicles. He wasn't even sure he'd seen human figures. But apparently Zack could tell who they were – and wasn't happy about it.

"Worse." Zack grabbed the backpack he'd brought, looking for his weapon and a few odd tools. "Look– if I just saw who I think I saw, Lydecker or someone may have funneled us all back into the Director's grip."

"Who?"

"Dr. Elizabeth Renfro. Word is she's the Director now. Manticore's Director"

"But how many people can she have with her in those two cars – a half dozen, tops? To take all of you with her? She of all people has to know..."

"You forget she has some of her own X-series to bring along." Zack stared at the hangar grounds for another few seconds, and moved to open his door. "I'm cutting the power to the building. At least in the dark, we'll have an advantage over the Reds if they're still on their feet, and Lydecker and Refro will be at a disadvantage. I can hook up with the others more quickly in the dark and we'll work from there."

"What can I do?" Bling asked.

At least Zack had the decency not to offer his first response. "Drive in when the lights go, get up close to the building – we might need another set of wheels and a car ready to go."

Bling nodded. "Good luck."

Zack turned and drew a breath to respond, but looking into the worried face of a fellow soldier of sorts, he thought better of it. "Thanks," he muttered, shutting the door behind him quietly.

_Inside:_

Just as Max had finished helping him shift up onto the loading dolly she'd found, the lights suddenly blinked out, leaving Logan in the dark. He was aware of the creak and whoosh of the environmental system being yanked off line as its power was cut. His "hosts," Sonrisa and Anderson, yelped and swore, respectively. A brief scuffle erupted from their direction as Logan's eyes fought to adjust, but other than a slight tensing as Max looked around, more alert, she neither spoke nor moved, her hands still firm on his shoulder and back. Suddenly, from the direction of the others, a smack, grunt and thud met their ears.

"Max...?" Logan whispered, turning back slightly toward her.

She leaned closer, to speak quietly in his ear as she pulled the dolly back away from the center of the room. "It's okay – Anderson thought he'd use the distraction to take off, but it just made Jondy mad." Even in the circumstances, Max's voice took on a slightly amused tone. "He'll be out for a while himself, now."

"Max, look– just go, before more happens. They must have others outside, if the power's ..."

"Shhh..." She suddenly tensed in earnest now, frozen, listening. Silently, Max lifted her fingers to touch his lips, a warning to stay quiet. After another moment, even tenser now, she leaned closer, barely voicing into his ear, deadly serious, as her lips brushed his skin, "Stay here ... I'll be back."

And before he could protest again, she was gone...

**Sim**

Max's enhanced eyesight made the darkness into a fuzzy green world of vague shapes and blurring movement. It was easy for the X5 to identify friend from foe; only her sisters moved with confidence, stepping over (or on, with distinct satisfaction) the fallen Reds as they took out their handlers with cool efficiency. She made her way over to the slender figure of what could only be Alina, groping blindly through the dark, and grabbed her in a headlock from behind. 

The young woman shrieked in panic, struggling ineffectively against the X5's grip.

"Let me go!" She demanded. 

"There's no point fighting me, Alina," said Max menacingly. "You know what I am."

The girl stilled in fear. "Who's outside?" 

"I don't know."

Max tightened her grip. "You really expect me to believe that, Daddy's girl?" 

"It's the truth! All I did was tell Manuel that Logan was involved with Eyes Only... They didn't tell me about you until later, I swear..." 

"Right; you just betrayed my friend to your psyco sugar daddy and got a bunch of suped up mercenaries to chase after me and my family." 

"Family? You're not even human, freak!" 

"I'm more human than you'll ever be," said Max quietly. "At least I'd never sell my own flesh and blood for a bundle of cash." She changed her hold to a knockout grip and lowered the unconscious woman to the ground before making her way back over to Logan. Every instinct was screaming at her to get him out of danger while she still could. 

When Max arrived back at the dolly, it was empty. 

Even as her veins filled with ice, a brilliant light blinded her. 

Max forced her eyes open, watering against the sudden brightness as a familiar female voice rang out. 

"I suggest everyone stays very still," said Renfro, a sharp click echoing in the sudden silence as she removed the safety from her gun. "Or I'm going to have to kill your good friend Eyes Only." 

Logan was on the floor at her feet, her weapon inches from his head.

**Lisa**

Tinga peered through a vent in the ceiling, making sure the situation below was all clear before scraping it aside and gracefully dropping to the floor amidst her brothers and the Colonel.

After encountering hostile forces, they had taken refuge in a small office, dragging the bodies of their opponents in with them. Two military officers were unconscious, courtesy of Colonel Lydecker, and one soldier that they recognized as Manticore x-series was securely restrained, still twitching from the effects of a run in with Krit and Zane and a jolt from his own tazer. Tinga had taken to the crawlspace to do reconnaissance and find out what was going on, and she had just returned to report the situation.

"It's not a pretty picture," she informed the others as soon as she hit the floor. "The good news is that the Reds are down. The bad news is that the Director is here, with back-up. Can't tell how many for sure, but about half a dozen of them are x-5s. Max, Jondy, and Sly are in the main hanger, and they're surrounded."

"What do we do?" Zane asked, getting ready to formulate a new plan.

"We go in," the Colonel announced curtly as he slammed a loaded clip into his newly confiscated weapon, "and we finish this once and for all." With a determined look on his face, he lead his army of three into enemy territory, muttering, "How many times do I have to kill that bitch?"

**Sim**

"E... Eyes Only?" Stuttered Sonrisa, squinting towards the tableau in confusion. "Cale isn't Eyes Only. He can't be!" 

"I'm afraid our computer techs were very sure when they traced him, Mr Sonrisa." 

"But he's crippled; there's no way he could run an organization like that from a wheelchair..." 

"Which is where 452... Max... came in, unless I'm much mistaken. We've had several reports of a dark haired female involved in many of his projects; information lifts and so on. Ironically, it was your brother's people who caused his injuries," Renfro finished smugly. "Now, I want the three rogue X5s to drop whatever they're holding and place their hands on their heads. 689, take two others and secure them." Slowly, Max, Syl and Jondy began to obey. 

"No," Logan managed, pushing himself off the ground with his good arm. "Max, run; leave me..." 

"Don't even think about it, Logan," Max replied firmly. 

"How sweet," said Renfro patronizingly, casually using one designer stiletto to kick Logan's hand from under him. He collapsed back to the ground on his face with a grunt of pain. Max took an involuntary step forwards. 

"Hey! You leave him alone; you got what you want." 

"You're really prepared to give yourself up for this useless heap of humanity, aren't you, 452? I thought Deck had taught you better." One of Renfro's X5's began to cuff Max as she replied. 

"He did. I'm just a bad student." 

No one was prepared for what happened next. 

With a near incoherent cry of "No!" Logan surged up from the ground and somehow managed to grab the barrel of Renfro's gun. Caught by surprise, she instinctively pulled the trigger. 

Blood sprayed across the concrete floor; thick, red and glistening in the strong light.  
Max threw herself towards Logan, screaming his name, pulling out of her captor's grasp. 

And then all hell broke loose as Lydecker, Krit, Tinga and Zane chose that moment to attack.

**Shywriter**

﻿Ignoring the melee of transgenics and others in the middle of the room, 689 darted behind Max, scrambling up to recapture her as he lunged toward the Director and the man at her feet. At his first movement Max spun, crouching low, a feral look of vicious anger in her eyes. Diving first to her right to snatch up the still-smoking gun and heave it far across the warehouse, up over a line of crates on the open second level, Max then spun and let go a series of kicks and punches at 689, nearly taking him out with the speed of her attack.

The transgenic focused and fought back – _after all,_ he thought smugly – _the rogues missed out on the years of rigorous training and superior medical and nutritional attention we received at Manticore._ He responded with his own combination of jabs and kicks, confident that his own years at Manticore and his gender's advantage of muscle mass and height would prevail.

"It's pointless, 452; you're just going to have a longer time in the infirmary if you keep it up," he goaded her.

...which was enough to land him on his back, with only a last, brief moment of awareness as her boot whistled toward his head...

Grabbing Renfro roughly by her wrist, Max held her captive long enough to look back at Logan, seeing it was indeed his blood that still seeped onto the floor, but from his leg, the fleshy part of his thigh. Whirling on the woman, Max let her hatred overcome all reason as she grabbed the second cuff, dangling from the one now closed on her wrist and, with the makeshift brass knuckles firmly in her fist, swung a vicious left across Renfro's mouth. She felt a surge of satisfaction as she heard several teeth snap in the process. The Ice Queen crumpled into a heap, blood from her mouth snaking in a thin stream across the designer stiletto under her...

Again, Max came to Logan's side and carefully scooped him up from his less-injured side, looping her arm around him as she lifted him and supported him with her body. _At least the leg wound won't hurt him, but there's enough blood coming from the wound that it's the last thing he needs..._ With her free hand, she zipped open the jacket of her catsuit, pulled the hem of her tee shirt up to grab it with her teeth and tug, ripping away a wide strip. Folding it against her own leg to make a pressure pad, she laid it on Logan's thigh and looked to him, to see if he was still with her. She found him glassy eyed and shocky, but still watching her.

"I'm going to pull you over a few feet, so you can lean against the desk, there, alright?" She watched for his acknowledgment and saw his eyes flicker a bit, before he nodded. "It won't be much longer, and we'll all get out of here, I promise." She shifted, still supporting him, to come around behind him and bring an arm across his rib cage. Smoothly, steadily, she pulled him backward and up against the heavy wooden desk. "Logan – put pressure on your leg, here..."

She saw him glance down and react at the sight of his bloody thigh – _he hadn't realized he was hit,_ she registered – and she gently moved his hand over the pad. "Just press... it's not too bad, but you're still bleeding." At a yell from Tinga, she glanced over and knew her help was needed. 

"Logan – hang in here for me, alright?" He didn't respond right away so she urged, "Logan? Can you do that?" He looked at her, the pain and blood loss obviously taking their toll, and Max pressed her hand on his again, to emphasize her point. "Press here, Logan..."

He finally nodded. "You know..." he suddenly began, then stopped, licking his dry lips. He was getting woozy... "Max... just in case..." He drew a deep breath, closed his eyes and admitted, "I love you..." He tipped his head back against the desk, eyes still closed to avoid seeing her reaction. "Now go kick some ass."


	10. Chapter 10

**Griever**

"I love you too,"

Logan barely heard her, but he was sure she'd said it.

Nobody could deny the kiss that followed, though. And Logan barely had time to register what she had done, before she had taken off to help her siblings.

He smiled grimly to himself. He had been feeling really bad, lightheaded and somehow losing sense of where he was and what he was supposed to be doing, and wanted Max to know he loved her, before it was too late. 

But then she said she loved him back. And she'd kissed him. It was as if it was some kind of a miracle cure. He snapped back into reality immediately, and all of a sudden, Logan became acutely aware of his surroundings. He heard the crashes, and saw the bodies being flung as the fight took place nearby.

Logan blinked rapidly, trying to clear his mind of the fog which had settled earlier. Maybe the bleeding had stopped. He felt slightly better, stronger than he was minutes before and he was certainly more focused. Or maybe it was just knowing that Max loved him.

He would do anything for her, he knew. And if that meant staying alive, he would do whatever it took to make sure he was there for her when the fight ended. He lifted his hand from his leg, and realised the bleeding had indeed stopped. He put his hand back on the wound, just in case.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO TOUCH ME!" He heard Max scream from a distance, followed by a few loud expletives, and then a loud howl of pain and a crash. He squinted, and saw Max standing over a body, expertly kicking it to the side before she raced to help her other siblings. 

Logan smiled again as he eased himself into a sitting position and increased the pressure on his leg.

_She loves me._

**Sim**

"I told you to stay in the car," said Zack, exasperated, as he crept up to where Bling was crouching behind some cargo crates. 

"Figured you might need someone who wouldn't get knocked out by that sonic device thingy," he replied. "There's a gun pointed at Logan's head and Max is giving herself up." 

"Stupid; she should run..." 

The gunshot echoed incredibly loudly through the cavernous space as Logan made his near superhuman effort to disarm Renfro. The former SEAL, despite his training, couldn't stop himself moving towards his stricken friend, breaking their cover.  
Zack grabbed Bling's massive bicep and yanked him back with all the power of an X5. 

"Hey!" The blonde man whispered harshly. "Are you trying to give away our position?" 

"Get your hand off me; I have to get to Logan." 

"You're no good to him with a bullet in your head; or was your training so long ago you've forgotten, old man?" 

"I'm also no good to him if he's already bled out! Can't you see how bad he's hurt? Logan's body can't take that kind of punishment any more." 

"Looks like Max has him covered," said Zack, with a hint of jealousy. 

"This is not the time for you to get territorial over Max, Zack. You go help the others; Logan needs medical attention and he needs it now. I'll see you back at Sebastian's." 

"You're not serious... It's a warzone out there; you'll never make it." 

"I used to do this for a living, remember? And I'm not _that_ old." Bling was gone, moving low and fast towards where Logan lay. 

Zack muttered under his breath. "Is everyone involved with Eyes Only crazy or do they just have a deathwish?" Then he shrugged. If Bling wanted to get himself killed, that was his problem. Right now, he needed to help his siblings. 

**Sim**

The warehouse was in chaos. 

Renfro's six X5s were taking on the five rogues and Lydecker in a display of frightening speed and skill. Bling had made it to Logan and was examining his wounds with all his medical expertise. 

Renfro, Anderson, Sonrisa, Alina and all of the Reds and their handlers were already down thanks to the EMP and the previous fight. Any who were beginning to come around were wisely staying out of the way while the transgenics duelled around them, failing to trip over the bodies only by using every ounce of feline grace they possesed. The air rang with the sound of flesh meeting flesh, cries of pain and effort, and the occasional quip from the rogues. 

So it was no surprise really that none of them noticed Anderson stir groggily from his prone position on the floor where Syl had left him and slip a hand into his pocket.  
His questing fingers found the button on the sonic disruptor and pressed it. Eleven X5s, he thought muzzily, plus Lydecker, Eyes Only and Renfro. 

I'm going to get promoted for this.

**Shywriter**

﻿Bling had looked over the battered form of his employer, amazed at the stubborn man's stamina, having somehow had managed to hold onto consciousness. "Logan, you've really done it now," Bling muttered, stalling to assess, hoping his presence and voice would mean some comfort, barely caring what the words were. _Not good, but if we get out of here soon,_ he decided...

"I can't, Bling; not with Max still in there..."

_Max. Of course. The man certainly was consistent,_ Bling griped to himself. "Look, you can say what you want – but when all this is over with, and I have the choice of having either you or Max looking to kick my ass for whichever I decide to do right now – no offense, man, but I'd rather take my chances with you than with Max." Bling tried to keep his voice calm and unruffled as he spoke. "And I think the lady would rather I get you patched up right away than wait to see the extra innings of this ballgame."

Bling used his words to cover his methodical once-over of Logan, looking for any wounds that needed immediate patching or would be threatened by moving him to safety. Satisfied that he knew what he was facing, Bling looked up and around the place with increasing worry. Behind the spill of the powerful flashlight, dropped by the woman Max had dispatched in an amazing blur of speed, the large, open hangar was still cloaked in darkness. From what Zack said and what he made out now, not all the X-5s in the place were on their side. In the dim light Bling couldn't make out which faction was winning in the melee in front of him, but it still sounded intense – and deadly. Looking back toward the way he'd come in, he decided it was still the safest option, and turned back to Logan.

"Your shoulder won't hurt quite so much if you find a good angle for your arm and pull it in close to your body – hold it in place as well as you can. Put this arm around my neck..." Despite the circumstances, his injuries and his wavering consciousness, Logan fixed Bling with that look, that 'I'd rather eat glass' look, which Bling ignored to say "hard or easy, Logan; you've got two seconds to choose." He shifted to slip his arms under Logan's battered body, and rocked forward to begin lifting him, when suddenly, without warning, they heard the sound of two or three of Max's siblings cry out, simultaneously – and Max's own, sharp intake of breath.

"Bling!" Logan hadn't missed the sound.

He looked over and, as his eyes continued to adjust to the low light, made out the X-5s – all of them, as near as he could tell – as they crumpled to their knees, moaning, a couple slapping hands over their ears.

_The device!_ So that meant that the Reds were down, thanks to Sebastian; the woman moaning a few feet away was in no shape to do much of anything, thanks to Max; and now Max, her family and the Manticore group, zapped again by the hypersonic device, were neutralized. There just couldn't be too many people in the place left standing...

_So I can tell Zack I told him so after all,_ Bling's grin was a grimace as he saw a squat, nondescript man stand to walk over to the nearest X-5 and offer a kick to his ribs, for no apparent reason other than he could. Bling pulled his arms out from under Logan.

"I have to go prove something to Zack," Bling whispered in Logan's ear as he eased him back onto the cement floor. "Looks as if only a couple of us non-enhanced types are around to save the day." Bling rose silently to move around toward the man, who stood among all the now- disabled super soldiers, gun in hand, as he looked them over, arrogantly unhurried and confident of his power. He spotted Max and started walking over to her, an oily smile beginning to form.

One fast look told Bling that, remaining hidden, he'd never get to the gunman before the man reached Max. Knowing that whatever he had in mind for her couldn't be good, Bling did the only thing he could decide to do at the moment – he grabbed up the first loose item he saw – an abandoned coffee cup, as it happened – and threw it to land sharply up and behind the gunman, to his right.

At the sound, the man spun, firing wildly, his back to Bling, and Bling took aim with his own gun to shoot him in the fleshy part of his thigh. Without waiting to see the man react, Bling bolted out of his cover toward the gunman to tackle him, unwilling to take a life unless he had to...

...but someone else was: the shot that rang out as Bling began his run, neatly catching Anderson in the chest and shredding his aorta before he hit the ground, came from the gun of someone who had little regard for the life of the weak, vile creature who had threatened his kids...

**Sim**

"What the hell did you do that for?" Demanded Bling, as Lydecker moved over to kneel next to his victim, searching him roughly. 

"Anderson was a threat," said Lydecker matter of factly. "He knows too much." 

"You can't just go around killing everyone in the building!" 

"You let me worry about tactical decisions, soldier. Move Cale out to one of the SUVs; I'll start carrying our people out." 

"I don't take orders from you, Lydecker; and I'm not a soldier. I'm not gonna let you murder all these people..." 

"Bling." Logan's voice was surprisingly forceful, considering his condition. "We don't know how long we have before the Reds and the X5s start coming around. Get Max and the others out and we'll argue about this later?" 

Throwing a filthy look at Lydecker, Bling complied. He lifted Syl in his muscular arms without much effort and carried her out. 

"You know we can't leave any of them alive to talk about the sonic disruptor," said Lydecker. "But I thought you freedom fighter types were against excecutions."  
"I am. I have a plan. Seperate out the Reds from Renfro's people and the handlers. I'm assuming you weren't gonna kill off any of your precious kids anyway?" 

"They aren't a threat to the rogues; the Reds are. What are you going to do with them?" 

"I'm going to save their lives." 

**Lisa**

"Well, looks like you're the last ones standing," said a smooth, female voice. Renfro picked herself up from the wreckage where she had been playing opossum until the violence cooled down. "Hello, Deck. How are you?" she said, her voice dripping confidence and ease, even though her nose was dripping blood.

Lydecker greeted her by pointing his gun at her heart. "I was wondering when you would be up again," he said.

"Relax, Deck," said Renfro, giving the gun aimed at her a contemptuous gaze, as though it were incapable of really hurting her. "I'm not here to fight; I'm here to do business. I want to make a deal with you."

"You're not exactly in a position to bargain," Lydecker reminded his former boss.

"Just hear me out." Her voice held a silky, persuasive edge even as she tried to sound causally indifferent to the chaos around them. "I didn't come here for you, Deck, I didn't even know you were here. I came for that one," she said, nudging Anderson's fallen corpse with the toe of her expensive Italian pump. "He had a piece of technology that I was planning on taking home with me. You know…the noisy one he set off right before you executed him. I take that technology, and the x-5s I brought with me, and we go."

"How exactly is that a good deal for me?" Lydecker asked.

"We go…and we leave you alone. Manticore's not as dead as you think, Deck. The roots go deeper than you can possibly imagine, and the powers that be aren't done with you by a log shot. But if you work with me on this one, you don't need to worry about retribution for what you and your kids did to us. No revenge. We won't try to track you down. We'll even leave Eyes Only alone," she said, giving a nod in Logan's direction, "so he can continue to thwart his small time criminals in peace. Everyone can stop running and go on with their lives and live happily ever after. All you have to do is give me the sonic disabler and let me walk out of here. What do you say, Deck? Do we have a deal?"

All conscious eyes were on Lydecker as he weighed the benefits of the bargain. He tipped his head and shrugged his shoulder, as though he could find no fault with the plan and decided that there was no harm in agreeing to her terms. Then he pulled the trigger twice, shooting Renfro in the chest and turning away from her before her dead body had time to crumble to the floor.

He gave another indifferent shrug of his shoulders as he walked towards Anderson. He kicked the body over and recovered the sonic disabler, storing it safely in his own pocket. When he saw the shocked, horrified, appalled stares that Logan and Bling were giving him, he said, "Don't worry. She was probably lying," before carelessly stepping over Renfro's body to lift one of his x-5s into a fireman's carry and take him outside to safety. 

**Shywriter**

﻿It took Bling only another bare moment, blinking at Lydecker's disappearing back, to turn and crouch back down to Logan, preparing again to carry him outside. Predictably, the man shook his head.

"Bling, get Max outside first..."

"Logan, she's stunned and probably uncomfortable, but she'll bounce back in an hour or two. You aren't in any condition to bounce anywhere, and if we don't get you patched up soon, you'll be taking up residence in Metro Medical for a week..."

"Don't you get it?" Logan hissed, his voice strained. "If Lydecker carts her out with the others, who knows when we'll see her again!"

That actually gave Bling pause, and he wavered, finally nodding. "Okay, look – I'll put her in my car and lock her in, then'll come get you." As Logan started to protest yet again, Bling went on smoothly, "we'll get out of here as fast we can and over to Metro – I'll call Sam and see if he can meet us. If Lydecker's still loading the others he might let us get away with Max rather than give up the four or five others he hasn't loaded yet..."

"Go–" Logan agreed, unable to offer any more protest, his adrenalin-fired energy rapidly draining from him.

Bling pivoted and ran quickly to Max, lifting her easily and running with her to the doorway. Peering outside, he noticed that Lydecker was loading one of them – Zack? – into an SUV some distance over, and around the corner from his car. _We might be able to sneak out of here, after all..._

Bling ran to his car and smoothly opened the back door to slide Max along the seat, not visible to anyone outside the car not looking straight down onto the seat. "Max, thirty seconds and I'll have Logan here with you," he promised in a whisper, hoping she might be able to register his words. "Stay put and we'll get both you and Logan out of here."

Bling shut the door and locked his car, running back into the building. By the time he got to Logan, the man had slipped under again, breathing shallowly. Bling lost no time but scooped him up and ran back to the car, seeing a groggy Max begin to stir. _Good, _he felt some relief. _She'll help make this a little easier._

He opened the car door. "Max – slide back. I need you to be sure he doesn't get banged up more along the way..."

And with that, Bling slid Logan's limp form along the back passenger seat, alongside the startled and blinking Max. Even in her daze, she looked at Logan in worry and her arms went carefully around him, protecting his injured shoulder and glancing at his leg wound to be sure it was no longer a threat. Grimly, Bling ran around to the front and started up his car. _Max will be sure he's okay,_ Bling reasoned.

_And when we're out of this, they'll both want to know why I didn't just load Logan in the front seat._ His face relaxed only slightly as he allowed himself to imagine a recovering Max and Logan both embarrassed that he'd laid Logan in Max's arms for the ride to the hospital. _I'll just tell them they're just lucky I didn't tear off his shirt first to patch him up for the ride..._

**Sim**

Zack stirred groggily in the back seat of the SUV. His ears were still ringing and he had a hell of a headache, but long practice led him to ignore the pain and try to work out what the hell was going on. He managed to sit up and was reaching for the door handle when Lydecker opened it from the outside, the still unconscious form of Syl draped over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. 

"W...What happenned?" He asked blearily. "Are the others all right?" 

"Anderson used the sonic disruptor on you again," the Colonel replied, shifting Syl expertly and depositing her into the seat beside him. "The only ones left conscious were the regular humans. Anderson and Renfro woke up briefly, but they won't be doing it again. I made sure of it." 

The sound of tyres squealing made both of them look towards the road as another SUV peeled out of the airport towards the city centre. 

"Then who's that?" Asked Zack. 

"Probably Max, Cale and his bodyguard, taking them to get some medical attention." 

Zack attempted to climb over Syl to get out of the car. "Is she badly hurt?" 

"No; but he is. And I sincerely doubt he'd leave without her. Can you stand?" 

Zack gripped the doorframe tightly as he got out, rather unsteadily. 

"I'm ambulatory," he said gruffly. "We need to get the others out before the Reds start waking up." 

"And then we need to deal with them," said Lydecker firmly. "No matter what Cale says." 

"Agreed," replied Zack, emotionlessly. The pair of them made their way back into the building. 

Shortly afterwards, the hangar echoed with the sound of gunfire.


	11. Chapter 11

**Mari**

When Bling heard the distant sound of guns, echoing in the stillness of the night, they were already out on street, finally on their way to get Logan into medical care.

He cringed, yet at the same time increased the pressure of his foot on the accelerator, knowing they couldn't go back for help, hoping that Max's siblings were okay.

A short peek into the back-mirror confirmed that Max was having the same thoughts. Her conflicted expression told Bling quite clearly that if she wasn't holding Logan, she would try make him stop the car and go back to the fighting.

Logan ,however, looked far too untroubled for someone who had several painful injuries. From the slightly awkward position in Max's arms in which Bling had positioned him earlier, he had somehow managed to wriggle back into a position that under different circumstances would have made them seem like a happy, sleeping couple. Otherwise this would have been a welcome sight to Bling, now it just made him speed even more, scared by the fact that Logan's body shut down like that. Bling just hoped that it was just his mind's way of blocking out the pain, not the ongoing effect of his concussion.

Luckily only two checkpoints separated the airport from Metro Medical and these were passed quickly with the discreet use of some of the stack of cash Logan kept in the car for emergencies like this.

Arriving at the hospital, Bling decided to forego the waiting lines of the emergency room by using his employee's key card allowing him direct access to the garage. Telling a concerned-looking Max to wait for just a moment, he jogged toward the elevator, at the same time pulling out his cell phone to alert Dr. Carr of their arrival.

Only five minutes later he was back with two nurses and a stretcher on which they placed a still unconscious Logan. The bulky hospital wheelchair Bling brought in case the sonic device also might have thrown Max's sense of equilibrium was rejected with a disdainful glare as she started to stagger after the nurses carrying Logan away.

**Lisa**

Sam Carr may have been shocked at the state he found his patient in upon arrival, but he maintained his calm professionalism as he assessed Logan's injuries. He even managed to stay focused and objective when Max barked the sharp order, "No records!" in his ear and insisted Logan be kept out of public areas. He had long ago stopped trying to figure out what kind of investigative reporting came with so many gunshot wounds. He simply moved him into an operating room with no windows or gallery and went to work on removing the bullet from Logan's leg.

Max had refused to leave his side, and because she looked as though she would violently clobber anyone who dared to quote hospital policy at her, she was allowed to remain. She kept a silent vigil in the corner, her gaze focused on Logan's face and her thoughts racing violently, at odds with her still demeanor, anxiously observing while Dr. Carr and his assistants did their work.

After what felt like thirty years but was in reality probably closer to thirty minutes, Dr. Carr paused and approached Max. He ordered her to sit down, then asked a nurse to order her a large breakfast tray with a pitcher of orange juice.

"I'm fine, just worry about helping him," spat Max, wondering just how hard she would have to beat the man before he made Logan's health his top priority.

"I am worried about him," the doctor explained. "Very worried. He's lost a lot of blood, Max. More than we have stored here; his blood type is too rare to keep in stock. He's not going to survive without a transfusion, and I know that you can do that for him. But honestly, you look like you've been through hell and back today and I'm not sure you can spare any in the shape you're in. So sit down, eat something, and don't waste all your energy fighting with me. We'll get him through this." And with the reassuring smile that only a physician can pull off, Dr. Carr returned to his patient.

Max obediently sat down and drank the large glass of water the nurse brought her, grateful that Zack had given her enough revved up Manticore blood that she could afford to share a few pints with Logan.

**Shywriter**

﻿"Dr. Carr, you can go ahead and start the transfusion; I'll be fine and I can eat as soon as it comes," Max insisted. "If he needs blood..." She was interrupted by a technician entering the surgical suite, pushing a large machine.

"He'll be okay to wait a few minutes, Max. I have a more things I need to do first, and Bling said that within the last few hours, you had a mysterious virus, and got zapped with some sort of sonic neuro scrambler a couple times." He shook his head in amazement as he worked, muttering almost to himself, "when we get Logan past all this and you feeling better, I want you to sit me down and remind me to not let my children become journalists – or their sidekicks."

A new thought occurred to her. "Do you think the virus will mess up the blood transfusion?"

He shook his head. "The antibiotic you took will follow along and we'll hope for the best. It's worth the risk, Max," he told her as he saw her worry. "We'll give him some more of the antibiotic as a precaution and we'll be alright." Max watched as Sam, almost silently, directed the technician to move the machine around an unconscious, bare-chested Logan, watching as he moved back up to take a closer look at his shoulder, then moving down to touch the vicious purple bruising over his ribs. "What did this, do you know?"

"A boot, covering a sadistic foot. Are his ribs broken?"

"We'll see in a minute. We'll do CT scans of everything, to be safe. Given that all this started with a collision, and then he was bashed around, who knows what all may have been injured."

Her breakfast arrived almost immediately after they started, and Max dutifully drank two large glasses of juice before diving in to the double-order breakfast that had just been delivered to her, barely tasting it. Almost afraid to ask, she tried, "do you think ... other than the blood loss ... he has any serious injuries?"

Sam frowned. "I don't like the fact we haven't been able to rouse him," he admitted. "But it hasn't been too long yet. And maybe that premium blood you'll give him will help things along." He managed to lift his frown back to a hopeful look, and pushed surgical bed up beside Logan's. "Eat up, Max. I'm about ready for you."

**Sim**

Bling couldn't help but smile as he looked in at Max and Logan. Max had forgone the second bed that Sam had arranged for her and was curled up beside Logan, her head resting on his shoulder. A faint smile had appeared on each of their faces; no one seeing them like this could doubt that they were deeply in love.

"They look sweet together, don't they," said Sam, coming up behind him. "I wondered the first time around if she was his girlfriend."

"If either of them heard you say that, they'd deny it," replied Bling with a grin.

"Those two are so far in denial, they're bringing back tacky model pyramids."

"Really? Huh. Then I wonder why they're both smiling like that."

"Your guess is as good as mine, Doc."

Max found herself in a place she'd been once before. She smiled, in anticipation of what was going to happen next as the familiar strains of Sibelius swelled around her.  
The elegant dress clung to her curves as she descended the stairs to where Logan waited for her, that same smile on his scruffy cheeks.

"Is it just me, or have we been here before?" She asked.

"I'm definitely feeling déjà vu," Logan replied. "But in that good way."

"Then I guess we should follow the script." She held out her arms. "Dance with me."  
Logan's smile widened and he rose from his chair, sending it rolling backwards out of sight. He stepped into her embrace and they began to dance.

"Don't let go," said Max, pressing her face into his chest, inhaling his scent.

"I won't," Logan replied, squeezing her hand.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Logan…" Max said, meeting his eyes, beseeching, their lips so close now. "Don't leave me…"

He leaned down to kiss her, but just as their lips touched a sound shattered the dreamworld around them. She felt a fine, warm spray across her face as Logan jerked in her arms, and went limp.

Max caught him, supporting his weight. "Logan! Logan, can you hear me?" She lowered him to the ground and cradled his head in her lap. "Logan?"

The brilliant eyes were staring at her, strangely empty. And then she saw the hole the bullet had made as it passed through his temple. For the first time, she saw that her hands and dress were covered in blood.

"Logan… No… No, Logan, please, you promised… you promised me…" Max began to cry as she pressed her face against his neck.

"I tried to warn you, Max," said Lydecker, stepping towards them, gun in hand.

"Emotions are weakness; and soldiers can't afford to be weak. Too bad he had to pay the price."

"Why? Why, damn you?!" she demanded through her tears.

"He was a liability. He made you vulnerable. And now you're safe." Lydecker gave her a sick little smile and walked away, leaving Max on the ground clutching at her dead love's body.

**Shywriter**

﻿The smile Sam and Bling saw on Max's face suddenly contorted as her body seized and she shook with a sudden, violent tremor. Both men rushed to her side.

"Sam, her seizures have never been this abrupt, or violent," Bling began.

"Get her over to the other bed – " Sam quickly detached the tubing connecting the two during the transfusion, "she's either going to crack another few of Logan's ribs or start his leg bleeding again, at this rate. Any medication allergies that you know of, for her?"

"No–" Bling bore the still thrashing Max, her seizure not quite as strong as it was initially but still taking her over, onto the other bed. He glanced at Logan, whose color was decidedly better – after twenty minutes with Max's blood going into him, his own body was being given a boost, yet again.

"And she said it's from a serotonin deficiency?" The doctor asked.

"She either doesn't produce it or doesn't produce enough," Bling admitted. "She self-doses with tryptophan, which usually quiets the symptoms within thirty minutes or so."

Sam just grimaced, shaking his head, and he called over a nurse, reeling off a series of medications and dosages as he looked at Logan's readings. "Damn it, why didn't they just tell me about that before?" The doctor clearly didn't look too concerned about either of them now, Bling realized. With a final check of Logan, Sam glanced over at the therapist to add, "well, at least while she's here we can get her stabilized."

"The seizures?" Bling asked, surprised.

"Sure – and the serotonin production. We can get her on a couple meds that will clear all that right up. Hell, you know as well as I do, Bling – if something can be fixed pretty well with home remedies – we ought to be able to knock all of the problems with a prescription or two." He even smiled a little. "Maybe within all this mess, a little good will come of whatever this was, after all."

**Lisa**

Logan drifted in and out of consciousness. His body ached with soreness and his eyelids were too heavy to lift. Traces of his favorite dream washed over him and he remembered holding Max close and leading her out on a dance floor. He remembered his hand on the small of her back as they moved in perfect sync with each other, they way she looked up at him with so much emotion in her beautiful eyes, the softness of her lips as he leaned in for a precious kiss. Then his mind had pulled away from the bucolic fantasy, swimming through a dense haze to suddenly resurface, disoriented but finally somewhat alert.

He knew he was lying in a bed of some sort, but he didn't know where, and his eyes still refused to open. He felt stiff, the dull burning in his shoulder threatening to mask all other sensations. As he slowly became more aware of his surroundings, he recognized a gentle weight on his chest. He felt soft hair graze across his throat, and knew Max was beside him. She smelled like dirt and blood and gunpowder and sweat and strawberries and orange blossoms and sunshine and hope. Everything would be alright now.

He felt Max suddenly stiffen, gasp and jerk away from him. He wanted to bring her back to his chest again, to keep holding her, but he still couldn't manage to make his arm move. He could feel her trembling in seizure but he couldn't do anything about it in his weakened state. As she thrashed against his gunshot wound in her helpless frenzy, he felt a sudden, painful, almost-overwhelming-but-strangely-welcome stinging in his leg.

**Sim**

Lydecker, Zack, Syl, Zane, Jondy and Tinga stood outside the warehouse, leaning back against their SUV. The flickering fire illuminated their faces in a warm, orange glow.

Between them, the weakened Zack and Lydecker had gone through the warehouse with ruthless efficiency. Each enemy had received a single bullet to the head and then been piled up in the centre of the hangar and doused in airplane fuel. Renfro's X5s alone had been spared; they were tied up in the Red's truck.

When the area had been cleared, Lydecker tossed his lighter onto the pile of bodies. The fire would cauterize the site; and no one who hadn't been there would ever know exactly what had happened.

"Logan is going to be pissed when he finds out about this," remarked Syl.

"It was necessary. Next time, the South Africans will think twice before they try to come after Manticore transgenics," replied Lydecker, matter of factly. "Including Max."

"D'you think Manticore will go after Logan?" Asked Jondy. "Renfro knew who he was."

"Doubtful. That bitch always liked to keep useful information to herself; she probably killed the techs who found him as soon as they gave her the news."

"Wow; for once, Renfro's sadism is actually good for us. Who'da thunk?" Said Zane.

Lydecker stood up straight and stretched a little.

"The authorities will be here soon," he said. "And the mission is complete. Let's move out."

"Woah, woah,woah," said Jondy. "This was a one time deal, Lydecker, to get Max out of trouble. We're not gonna be your personal hit squad any more."

"I'm not asking you to. But I will need your assistance in breaking Manticore's control over our prisoners. Unless you want to have to kill them too."

The X5s all instinctively looked at Zack.

"You're a devious son of a bitch, Lydecker," he said.

"Thank you," the Colonel replied. "Now, come on, back to base. I'm sure Max has her hands full with Cale's injuries."

**Shywriter**

Before Max was even aware of her surroundings, she ached; heartbreak throbbed at the core of her being as she _felt_ before she thought, tears stinging her eyes...

Blood...?

_Logan's blood!  
_  
A sob escaped her throat as in her despair, she knew she couldn't deal with this anymore, with the pain she brought those around her ... the pain she brought _him_...

"Max..."

_She was dreaming. He'd lay in her arms, lifeless and still, she remembered; the voice was his but there were no such thing as ghosts...  
_  
_"Max –"_

His voice was more insistent now, and Max fought the fog to open her eyes and see him, _Logan,_ in a bed across from hers, his initial look of concern quickly giving way to a wide, winning smile as she stared at him, blinking her disorientation.

_This was still a dream ... wasn't it? Logan, battered and bruised, the skin that wasn't discolored, scraped, parts that weren't scraped, swollen... yet he beamed at her as if it was a day at the beach, happy and carefree ... almost an obscenity, that smile of happiness on a face so abused...  
_  
She fought her way up and found an IV line in her arm, which she pulled out. _Get out now, before anyone else dies. If Logan is dead, there's no reason to stay; if he's alive ... leaving now might spare his life..._

"Max, no; wait ... what are you doing? You can't leave yet; Sam said you need ..."

On her feet she was unsteady, the worried voice working to hold her from escaping. She grabbed the bed rail and straightened, forcing herself to take a few deep breaths and keep her eyes off the man she'd nearly destroyed, lying in the bed beside her. Without a word, she pushed herself toward the door.

_"Max!"_ His voice, forceful and full of worry for her, stopped her in the doorway, where she clung for support, not sure if it was more physical support she needed, or the strength to leave him behind and not look back. "Max, please..." She wavered, and tried pushing herself into the hall, but the image of the bruised but happily beaming man, calling to her, wouldn't let her...

"Max–" he spoke again, working on her battered emotions. "Look, I have one good arm and no wheels." There was only a slight pause before he continued, his tone teasing lightly, in his hope she'd listen, "it's not fair to use your special super-hero powers to escape..."

_Not fair, Logan? Not far to say it like that, to make me feel guilty... _She slowly started to turn, _to be so cute and charming, even after being so abused..._ Involuntarily, her eyes rose slowly to see his green, magical ones watch her in worry as he held out his hand to her.

"Please. Don't go," he was saying. "Not yet..."

"Logan..." she said, resolve weakening. "You died ... in my arms..." She didn't move.

"No, I didn't," his smile softened in sympathetic understanding, "I'm right here. And you're all the way over there."

"I saw you ... unless ... it was..."

"...the dream," he finished for her. "It was, Max. I'm fine."

"It could be real, next time. Next week ... tomorrow..."

"No..." his smile grew again, softly. "No way." He saw that although she was still scared, eyes wild in the throes of her imagination, she was relaxing a little as the images sifted away from the reality around them. "C'mon, Max, come sit here, with me. They keep coming in every hour and making sure I'm awake ... something about a concussion. Of all the times I could use the company of someone who doesn't sleep..."

It was the smile, his charming smile that took no prisoners, that distracted her from noticing that she crept back up to his bedside. His smile widened as she gingerly took the hand he offered, and he drew it to his lips. "That's better," he lay back, looking content. Shoulder tucked close in a sling, white adhesive bandages peeking out across his hairline, purpling skin darkening the scruff along his left jawline, Logan again looked to Max as if he was a part of another surreal hallucination. "Look at you, Logan," she fought her tears, "Lydecker was right, even if he was just a dream. I'm a soldier ... if I give in to these emotions, what can that do to you?"

"Nothing, now. I'm invulnerable."

Max frowned, looking at him closely. _Had the concussion scrambled his brains that completely?_

Logan saw her worry and urged, "something magical happened out there today, Max. Amid everything else, I finally got the nerve to tell Max Guevarra I loved her. And she didn't run away. Not only that ... she said she loved me too. And I got one hell of a big kiss out of the deal." His smile by this time was positively euphoric, and he watched her carefully. "And there's more," he baited.

She finally started to give in, a little, to believe that this was reality, the other the dream. A small smile dared to begin as she asked, "what if I don't ask?" she teased.

"Well, then I'll just have to show you." He nodded toward the bed, and when Max glanced down, in only another moment, she saw his right knee flex, at least an inch off the bed. Her eyes went wide and she looked back to him, afraid that yet again, she might have unwittingly set in motion something that would only hurt him. His wide, happy smile broke her heart...

"Logan," she whispered, "is it because..."

"The friendly folks at Manticore again," he nodded. "Pretty quick this time, though, isn't it?"

Her brow clouded, and she tightened her grip on his hand unconsciously. "It might all happen again, Logan, like before, we can't know..."

His look softened for her, but he didn't break. "Maybe so. I know it may just be temporary, – but I won't waste it this time. Besides," he shrugged his good shoulder, "neither of us knew this was coming back when you told me you loved me. In fact, I was flat on my ass on the floor. If you love me like that..." his hopeful grin made her start to trust that he believed his own words, "just think of how much you could love me when I clean up a little." He looked into her eyes, deeply, and urged, "it will all be fine, Max."

She looked at him in concern, looking for some sign that he didn't really believe what he was telling her. Finding none, she finally began to smile again. Leaning in close, she held up suddenly to say, "what was it you said, 'just one arm?' What about your lips?"

Impossibly, his grin went even wider. "I think they might have a little life left in them." Max leaned over his bedside to kiss Logan warmly, sweetly, no hurry or desperation this time. When she straightened again, he tugged gently on her hand. "C'mon back up here, with me." He could tell that, at the thought, she remembered their shared nightmare once again, and urged, "Hey–" When she looked back at him, he promised, "only good dreams from now on, between us."

The strength of his belief drew her even closer, and gingerly ... carefully ... Max crawled into the narrow bed, beside Logan.

The Very Happy End

xxXXxx

_**That's so much for reading. We may bring you a sequel someday, since we had so much fun with this one. Comments and feedback are always welcome.**_

_A prelude to Part II..._

Bling hurried into the room, waking both Max and Logan from their pleasant doze in one another's arms.

"Bling?" Said Logan sleepily. "What's wrong?"

"I hate to interrupt you two lovebirds, but Logan, you really need to see this." He switched on the small TV in the corner and a snowy news report of a very familiar scene met their eyes.

"This was the scene at Wharton airfield late last night as a fire ripped through the main hangar," said the unrealistically blond anchor, as the picture changed to an obviously amateur video. The whole building was a fireball; flames reached hundreds of feet into the air, illuminating the overwhelmed firefighters who had given up trying to put it out and were simply trying to stop it spreading.

The screen cut back to the anchor, standing in front of the still smoking ruins.

"The causes of the fire are not currently known, but police and firefighters have not yet eliminated arson. This morning, there are unconfirmed reports that fire investigators made a grizzly discovery at the site in the form of human remains; it is possible that the building was torched to cover up evidence of the crime. There are believed to be at least ten bodies, perhaps many more. We'll bring you more details on this horrible incident as we get them. Police will be giving a press conference later today to confirm these details. I'm Stacey Johnson, at Wharton airfield for Channel 21 news."

Bling turned off the TV.

"The others..." said Max, fearfully. "We heard the gunfire; how could we not go back?"

Logan, too shocked and appalled to speak, simply met her eyes, watching as they filled with tears.

"We'll find them, Max," he promised. "And if anything's happened to them, we'll catch those responsible."

xxXXxx


End file.
